There's No Place Like
by Zigster
Summary: This story takes place after Book 8. The Supes are finally 'coming out' in society, and after a disturbance at Mertlotte's Bar, Sookie suddenly and mysteriously finds herself in a stranger's home, out of the blue. At least, that what she thinks. ;- ESN
1. Chapter 1: There's No Place Like

Apparently closing my eyes, clicking my heels and wishing to be in the place I felt safest, did not send me home like it ought to. Instead I found myself in a darkened foyer of a plantation house, confused and disoriented beyond belief. My head spun as the room came into complete focus. It was impressive, really impressive. The Bellefleur's would be more roasted than a pig on a backyard spit if they saw this place - and that was just the foyer.

"Sweet Jesus, Shepherd of Judah, where am I?" When I actually tried to wish myself out of a bad situation, I didn't think for one minute that'd it work. Well, damn, I was more capable then I thought. Or rather, Amelia was more capable; she was the one who told me what to do if I was in dire straights. Clamp down on the talisman, shut your eyes and pull a Dorthy on the spot. I did, and shit if it didn't work perfectly. But, where was I now?

'I should be grateful' I thought. Wherever I was, it wasn't near danger. My breathing had steadied and I felt eerily calm. So calm in fact that my heart rate was jacking itself back up. My brief moment of peace didn't last, 'that's not normal.' It's sad to think that feeling calm and safe wasn't a regular state in my life. I sighed and decided I better explore a bit if I wanted to figure out where I was. Perhaps there'd be a delivery pizza number on the fridge with an area code that could point me in the right direction? Or an address by the telephone that would tell me what parish I was in. If I was still in Louisiana for that matter. I hoped to god I was.

Feeling slightly childish, I took of my flats and tip-toed across the wide-paneled wooden floors in the direction of what I'd hoped was the kitchen. I was right; a left off of the main hallway and into the huge room I stepped. It looked as if it hadn't been remodeled in 200 years, complete with a massive brick mantel over the hearth and a dutch oven built in - not to mention a pie-safe in the corner. I almost cried it felt so homey, and wished I hadn't lost Gran's pie-safe in the fire that destroyed my own kitchen. This is the kind of room 'Garden and Gun' jumped at the chance of using for a photo spread in their holiday issue. All I could do was ogle and pine for a family and a time that no longer existed.

I snapped myself out of the mixture of awe and self pity I was feeling and walked over to the fridge. Nope, nothing on it, I then checked around the counters for the requisite kitchen phone, except there was none. How odd. Who didn't have a phone in their kitchen? There was also no coffee maker. A huge strike against whoever owned the house. Coffee was a staple in my diet, but maybe these people liked tea? I didn't find tea as I searched the huge walk-in pantry that led off of the kitchen, but there was a rather narrow and inviting staircase in the back. "This must be the servants staircase," I figured. Of course back in plantation times, they wouldn't walk up the grand stairs in the main hall. I shook my head at how ridiculous some old costumes were as I took the stairs two at a time, heading up into the heart of the house.

It spilled out onto a back hallway that lead out to the main landing. I followed the runner carpet and the elegant pattern it made with my eyes as I walked. It felt soft on my feet and a warm sensation swept over me. For some reason, this entire exploration of a stranger's home made me feel completely at ease and happy. I figured I was finally loosing it and made a mental note to call a therapist the second I got back home. If I ever did.

"No need to think about that now" I said to myself, since I was feeling so curious and comfortable at the same time, I peeked inside the first door that caught my eye. It was on my left and was hidden from the setting sun, whose rays were now streaking across the floor below, through the uneven glass on the side of the front door. It made the wood look golden and the glass glowed with the tangerine light. If anything I figured it was probably around 6PM, and that counted for something. I shrugged and opened the door with a gentle push.

I didn't know what I expected exactly when I walked into the room off of the landing, but I'm assuming it wasn't what I saw. A massive four poster bed, complete with lace hangings over the canopy and the most glorious quilt draped over the bed I'd ever seen. No one had set foot in this room for quiet a while. I don't know how I knew, but I could tell. The room reeked, Southern Elegance, save one little detail; a wall hanging of a wool blanket, or what looked like a wool blanket. I didn't recognize the patterns, though the abstract designs felt homey as well. Just a different kind of home, one that felt like the... Christmas? There was a wreath of unlit hand-dipped candles set below it, on a low dresser. Hmm... odd. It brought a smile to my face nonetheless.

I again wished for my Gran, she'd love to walk around this house, feeling the history seeping from its walls. Was I at Mt. Vernon? Or maybe Castle Hill? I took back my assumption from before, this mustn't be a plantation house, it was an estate. I peeked my head out the door and counted the doors off the landing. Eight. And that was before the hall curved off of the main foyer and deeper into the house. Lordy.

Well now this was fun! My happy and content mood turned to giddy as I shut the door as quietly as possible and tip-toed to the next. I, for the life of me didn't know why I was sneaking about, but I was enjoying it. This was probably what Maria felt like as she searched the Von Trapp's house for the first time; except there were no Nazi's in Louisiana. At least I hoped there weren't - was I still in Louisiana?

Three doors down I came upon a study, or I guess it could be a study and a library combined? There were so many shelves of books lining the walls, I wondered who would ever own so many. Maybe I was wrong before, this could be Monte Cello? Thomas Jefferson was famous for being a quiet soul who read a lot and played violin. I knew about the violin thanks to the only musical that I'd ever seen live; 1776. My favorite bit was the violin playing, and darnit if the actor playing ol' Tom wasn't a cuttie! I mentally slapped myself. Of course this wasn't the estate of a former president, or of a famous Southern Belle - there'd be people around if it were! I decided I must be light headed from a lack of food mixed with my disorientation, and that was responsible for my flighty mood. I tried to rally my questionable sanity as I walked over to the bookshelves.

I was bending over the nearest shelf, trying to read the cover of one of its volumes when a creak from the door behind me made me jump. At that same moment I realized that the books on the shelves were in some sort of language that I'd certainly never heard spoken. Some, thankfully were in English and the book on Nordic mythology tipped me off. The book next to it simply titled "Freyja" made my heart skip a beat. Oh no..... oh, no.

"Sookie..." An all too familiar voice said behind me. I froze mid jump.

Shit!

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A/N:

This was the first story I'd ever written using someone else's characters. It was strangely liberating, cause of a the ground work was already laid down for me.

Hopefully y'all will like it.

p.s. I got a PM asking about my 'other story'. This is it. :-) Enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2: We're both barefoot

I turned round slowly as I was still trying to compose myself from the odd half jump I'd just done. As I came full circle, there standing in a robe Hugh Heffner himself would be jealous over was Eric. All 6'4" of him. His hair was tousled and messy but the result was more like a coif of sex-hair rather than bed head (coffin head?) - In other words, it looked damn good. So did he, with a smug expression that I wanted to wipe clean off his face and a look in his eye that was both elation and immense satisfaction. I screamed at myself internally as best I could. What idiotic part of me thought that Eric's house was the best place to be at this particular moment? What sick and twisted part of my brain decided that the Lion's den, literally was the place I was going to feel safest. Shit, Shit, Shit!

"We're both barefoot." He pointed out annoyingly, bringing me back to the present. He was smiling still. For some reason my bare little toes made him happier than he already was. How was I going to explain this to him? Why wasn't he angry that I showed up out of the blue in his house? Why was his robe not tied tighter? Wow, he's really happy.... don't look. I had to say something, he was waiting. Patiently. Dammit.

"I left them in the kitchen."

"Left what?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, my shoes, sorry, my shoes. Uh.. I didn't want to disturb anyone. Not that I knew who was here, or if anyone was here for that matter. It seems silly now.... whatever, my shoes are in the kitchen!" I was rambling and hated it.

He was holding back a chuckle, though his chest and shoulders moved silently with his smile. "Well, thats interesting," he said, which of course it wasn't, but he was certainly enjoying himself, "did you like the kitchen then?"

"Huh? Oh, yes! It was amazing actually. I can't believe you have a Pie safe. My Gran and I used to have one but it was lost in the fire." I looked down at my cold feet as I said this, suddenly extremely self conscious.

"It's yours then." My head snapped up.

"What?"

"It's yours. It came with the estate, and I've never had any use for it. I'm not much of a baker as you know."

"Eric, no... you can't, it's probably over a 100 years old."

"And I'm over a 1000 and yet equally willing to give myself to you. Age is no matter to me. It'll be at your house in the morning." He said this with another satisfied smile that didn't make me angry as I had hoped, rather it melted my insides. My feet were freezing on the cold wood and yet I was warm all over. I guess that darn blood-bond didn't fade as I had hoped. I smiled involuntarily and looked down again to hide it. It didn't go unnoticed.

Two minutes passed and neither of us spoke. Instead Eric being cautious, connected with me through the bond. I flinched at first, I didn't know that was possible, but then I sunk into the feeling. I tested it, trying to decipher my contentment with his, though it was difficult. He was mentally embracing me from across the room and I appreciated the closeness and the space simultaneously. I started to shake, maybe I was going into shock from what occurred earlier in the day? Everything had happened so fast that I didn't really have time to process. Winding up here and exploring kept my mind off of the Big Bad for a little while, but now, with my guard down, standing with a person who was more connected to me than another other being on the planet, my real life nightmares had no place to run and floated up out of my subconscious. My vision swam in front of me and I lost a moment, a saw the floor coming towards my face but didn't remember hitting it.

A tea kettle whistled in the background, knocking at my sleeping brain, telling me to wake up. I reluctantly opened my eyes and saw a large expansion of pressed copper in beautiful patterns. Over to my right was an old ceiling fan. A ceiling fan? i must be lying down and looking up. Under my hands I felt a smooth hard surface. Kettle, copper celling, counter? I was in the kitchen.

"I'm making you some hot water. I don't have tea but I do have lemon, would you like some squeezed in?"

"Sure." I said as I slowly sat up wondering why I was on the counter. Of all the places to lay me down, he put me on the counter?

"It's heated."

"What is?"

"The counter, it's heated. So's the floor, but the counter is more sanitary. I wanted to make sure you were warm but didn't want to disorient you further by bringing you to a room you didn't know. I knew that you had been in the kitchen, so, here we are." He smiled again as he squeezed a half a lemon into a mug that read "Bite Me". The poor fruit looked dwarfed in his large hands. So did the mug.

"Who heats their kitchen counters and floors?" I said mostly to myself.

"I do." He said this while practically wagging his tongue at me. Alright I walked right into that. "The bathroom floors are as well. There's nothing worse than cold feet on a winter morning." He handed me my hot water and lemon.

"Thank you... uh, for regulating my body temperature, but why am I here?"

"I was hoping to ask you that same question."

"No, I don't mean in your house, I mean here, in the kitchen?"

"You blacked out."

"I did?" I was shocked, is that what happened?

"Yes. You scared the crap out of me, don't do it again."

"Oh, did Little ol' me really scare the big Viking?"

"I told you, I don't like having feelings, but I'm not going to hide that they exist. Please realize that when you hurt, I hurt."

Well that was blunt. Eric was always one for honesty. I respected him greatly for it, though sometimes he did throw a ringer at me. This one, held truth. I remembered all to well the time I realized his life was in danger through the bond and was petrified by it. I shivered.

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A/N: Eric might not like having feelings but he loves getting reviews! ;-)


	3. Chapter 3: If I only didn't have a brain

"Cold?" Eric said this with another eyebrow threatening to pass above his hair line.

"No, terrified." I don't know why I chose that moment to be blunt, maybe Eric's up front nature was rubbing off on me... "I think I'm in some kind of limbo, in between shock and finally cracking. I'm barely holding on here." I had to put the mug down, it clanked on the warm counter, which I was now extremely grateful for. I pulled my knees into my chest and pressed the cold bottoms of my feet onto the warm surface. I closed my eyes and rested my chin on my hands, it took all of my focus to steady my breathing and not black out again.

Eric reached out a hand, cautiously placing it on my leg, he rubbed up and down, as if trying to warm me, despite his lack of body heat. He mirrored this action with his other hand on my other leg, whatever he was trying to do, it worked. I calmed immediately.

"Look at me Sookie," he said. I peered up and he was bent down, his face a foot or so away from mine, there was no smugness nor a devious thought floating around his eyes, only concern. He was worried about me, and thinking hard on it. I picked up images from his brain. That scared me even more, but what I saw was how I looked through his eyes. A small, shaking little mouse. 'How did she end up like this?' I heard. I wanted an to answer that question myself. I also wanted to know if Sam was alive. God, please let Sam be alive.

Eric was still focusing on me, mind melding with me in a way. He couldn't glamour me, but he could calm me through our connection, and I let him for about a minute before I realized that pushing the pain further back wasn't going to rid my system of it, only integrate it further. I shut my eyes.

"Sookie." It was an order, a statement and a question all in one. I didn't open them again, I kept them shut and tried to speak.

"Eric... you need to let me freak if I have to. I need to get this out, and pushing it back into my brain won't make it easier."

"Sookie, if you could see yourself. I've seen men who've been through torture in better shape."

"Not the best time for that kind of detail Eric." He didn't respond, he went back to rubbing my legs, soothing me out of my shakes. Or at least that's what I think he was doing. Deep down a vain part of me was glad I had shaved that morning, even though I was wearing pants. I pushed back the reason why that would matter in a situation like this. _So not the time Sookie._

A few more minutes passed, I slowly stopped shaking as Eric gradually curled me into his chest. I allowed it, despite not wanting to forget my horrors again. The faster I told him, the faster something could be done, action could be taken. But for some reason, I didn't want to spill. I felt safe, I did, and I really, really appreciated being cared for. A flash of Sam's pained face shot through my eyelids like it had been seared there and I jumped out of my daze. Reality forced itself back on me like cork being shoved back into it's bottle, wide side in.

"The Fellowship attacked the bar!" I croaked as I convulsed forward in a dry heave. Eric held me from falling off the counter and tried to steady me once more. He thought I looked possessed, and I thought how I really hated hearing his thoughts at that moment. "The fellowship attacked Sam's bar. They all came in for drinks and sat at different tables. They all were focusing really hard on their menus, they must have known I'd read their thoughts unless they kept them in check. The only random thought I picked up that worried me was the image of a lynch that was in a trunk out back. I shook it off. There's the Klan by us, but as long as they don't harm the customers we can't do much about them coming in being served as long as they pay."

The tears finally broke and streamed steadily as I went on. "I knew the shifters shouldn't have come out. I knew it. I told Sam not to tell anyone, that they wouldn't understand right away. Let the news sink in for a year but he wanted to be free. That's who they were after Eric, Sam. Sam! The man would never hurt a fly, and they wanted to kill him. It was a lynch mob Eric, except they got creative with it. They tied us up and went at Sam with a pliers, they wanted to pull out his "claws" they said. Poetic justice they wanted. Damn Bastards."

At this point Eric was rocking me back and forth, "Sushhing" me as he went. He was doing it to sooth, not to make me stop. He knew I needed to vent and let it happen.

"Sookie, Sookie... shhhhh.... I know this." My grandmother would have slapped into next tuesday for the amount of cussing I did inside my head just then.

"Whu-what...?" I sputtered.

"I know this. Pam was informed the second the sun went down by the Jackson Weres. I don't know how you got out, or how you got here so fast, but they must have came the second you left because Sam was taken before the Fellowship could do serious damage. He's with Alcide and his pack now. When I saw you here I thought you were oblivious to what had happened, I had no idea that you were actually there." He rocked me back and forth more, running his hands through my hair as his fell onto my forehead. I watched the locks flow with the movement, they matched mine, and I focused on that. My head was officially about to explode.

"Sookie, Sookie look at me." I did. "You know that if I knew you were in danger I'd have come. Know that. I felt you were scared as I slept. I thought it was a dream. And when I woke you were here, I was too happy to actually wonder why." His face was hard and his eyes were angry. The anger was directed inward however, he was hating himself I assessed, not me. He held me tighter instinctively. I stayed quiet and tried to stop my head from processing thoughts. I felt like the Scarecrow except with the refrain altered; 'if I only didn't have a brain.'

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A/N: This was written before chapter 1 of the 9th book had been released, though I'm still happy that the story lines in essence still match up.


	4. Chapter 4: Sookie, you're humming

"Sookie, you're humming."

"I was? Oh." Yup, this was it. I was finally loosing it. "So... Sam?"

"Is with the Jackson pack. I'm sure he's being seen to as we speak. Shifters heal very fast Sookie, remember that." He was trying to comfort me more. In the past, how every many minutes I had spent in his presence, Eric has mentally hugged me, caught me from falling, made me a hot drink, held me and rocked me as I cried, while genuinely being concerned about my overall welfare. Now he was trying to assure me that my boss, whom he didn't have much interest in, was going to get better, and fast. Who was this vampire and what had he done with Eric Northman?

"You're different," was all I said as I looked at his hands holding me.

"Nah, you just caught me at a good time. I'm at my very best when I first wake up. I'm a 'morning person' in a way." Now he was being somewhat modest. Seriously, getting freaked out now - except, Eric held me and kept me from falling over the edge.

"I like being like this, you'll like it too." I quoted him, thinking out loud, about how he was so certain I would eventually grow to like our connection. I had wanted it to fade, but right now I was glad that it hadn't.

"I do like this. I like knowing you're safe. I like the feel of you, even when you cry. I like being able to know that I could help make those tears go away. I just wish I could have prevented them from ever forming."

" I don't know what to do. I don't know why I'm here." Exasperated didn't cover it.

"You're safe here. Though soon, when you feel a bit more calm and collected, I would like to know how you did actually get here." I looked up, and his face looked bewildered for a second. First I scared the Viking, now I had stumped him. It was hard not to giggle and seem even more unhinged than I was.

"Come," Eric said as he gathered me up like a heap of blankets.

"Where are we going?"

"The bedroom."

"Stop. No." To my surprise he did stop, and looked down at me with an unreadable expression. Sex wasn't on his mind, something else was. Either way, a bed and Eric, combined with my punch drunk state equalled a disaster. A fabulous one, but still, this just wasn't the moment. He apparently knew that however...

"I'm not going to try to get in your pants Sookie, I was simply going to comfort you."

"How?" Then I raised up a hand, "Don't answer that!"

"Sookie really, I was only going to spoon you." He sounded like a wounded puppy. "Snuggling is a favorite pastime."

"Not in the bed."

"Fine." A broad smile crossed his face as he strode into the living room, off the other side of the foyer. I don't know how, but a rather impressive fire was already dancing in the hearth when we entered. Great, just great.

Eric didn't waste anytime, he grabbed hold of a throw on the back of a very comfortable looking couch facing the fire, draped it around us then arranged me into the curve of his body as he settled the two of us onto the deceivingly large cushions. I kind of hated how perfectly I fit into Eric as he curled his knees and encircled me with his arms. Apparently, it was nap time? This was not productive. This wasn't even needed, though once again, I felt safe. I wiggled slightly against him, snuggling down into his embrace with a small smile at my mouth. Eric gave a soft moan behind me, squeezed me tighter and breathed in the scent of my hair. I fell asleep soon after, feeling and overwhelming sense of contentment._I do like being like this, I like it a whole lot,_ I thought as sleep overtook me.

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A/N: *sigh* Snuggling with Eric. Brings a smile to my face every time.

p.s. It's a short chapter, I know. More lengthly chapters in the future. I promise.


	5. Chapter 5: Down Boy

"My. my, my, look at you two," a bored voice echoed from behind the couch. I kept my eyes glued shut and my breathing steady. For some reason, pretending to be asleep just felt like the least complicated reaction. If anything, I wouldn't have to see what expression Pam was wearing. I just didn't want to know.

I felt Eric's arm raise up and heard a "shhh" sound. He must have been putting his finger to his lips, which was slightly dramatic, but very Eric.

During our nap we had repositioned ourselves and were more entangled than we had started out. I had turned into him, curling into his chest and the crook of his neck, my arms folded in as I clung to his robe. Subconscious Sookie really enjoyed being as close to Eric as possible it turns out. Again, my head fit perfectly under his chin and his shoulder made for an amazing comfortable marble pillow. Our legs were intertwined, one over the other, making our hips positioned in such a way that I'm sure Eric was fully enjoying. In fact, he was; I could feel it._ Hello!_ I had to hide a smile and a quickening of breathe, this whole pretending to sleep thing could really play to my advantage.

_Meanwhile_..."I don't know how she got here, she was just here. We didn't get to that part of the discussion." Eric was speaking very softly and I felt his deep voice vibrating in his chest under my ear. It was an amazing sound, I could listen to it for ages.

"Well, you certainly got to something, why are you on the couch?" Oh Pam, the master of ennui mixed with devious interest. That vamp was a walking contradiction.

"She wasn't very stable, I thought a nap would be nice." I could literally feel him smiling.

"Well how much longer do you think Little Goldie Locks here will sleep?"

"I'm not sure," at this I decided to take action, "I don't want to wake huu...!" Eric practically convulsed as his arms instinctively tightened around me. It was fabulous. While he was talking I took advantage of our rather intimately placed bodies and curved my pelvis in and upwards as if shifting in my sleep. This felt fabulous for me and apparently even better for Eric who's reaction was far greater than I had hoped. I knew this was going to be fun, I just had to make sure I kept a straight face. My imagination scrambled trying to find different ways to move my body in order to elicit the best results.

"Down Boy." I heard Pam say, and could almost perfectly picture her arched eyebrow. "Eric focus. What should we do?"

Eric regrouped. "I've been thinking about it while she slept. I have a plan I just need.... uuu..." Again I had to stifle a grin. Eric's moan was amazingly satisfying to hear. I could almost feel his eyes roll back into his head. That time I had rubbed my thigh, the one conveniently placed in between his legs, back and forth ever so slightly, though he felt it in the exact area it was desired. I wished I had a tape recorder, this was too good.

"Oh come on now..." Pam made an exasperated sound towards Eric who I felt shrug. She was never going to let him live this down.

Just as I was contemplating where to conveniently let my hand "fall" I heard Pam say, "Enough of this," and smacked me so hard on the rump, both Eric and I jumped about a foot in the air. I gasped with the shock of it, while the thrust Pam's smack had created between Eric and I made him growl with need and his fangs rang out faster than I could say 'shit'. I rocketed myself off that couch and out of Eric's arms as fast as I could, crossed the room and sank into an old wing chair with a "hmph."

I wanted to stake Pam for so many reasons I couldn't count, and on top of my rage and embarrassment, I felt empty and lonely without Eric holding me. Dammit. If I was pissed, Eric was downright livid. He stared daggers into Pam and she slightly retracted back about a fraction of an inch. For her, that was a huge reaction. I didn't want them to go at it in front of me, I'd seen too much violence today so I broke the many layers of tension with my explanation.

"I wished myself here!" I shouted. It cut through the palpable atmosphere like a hot knife through butter. The two vamps who were stock still while having an undead staring contest simply moved their eyes off each other and onto me. It was a frightening sight.

"You what?" Pam said.

"I'll ask the questions Pam," Eric growled. He didn't need to raise his voice to elicit obedience in anyone. His piercing ice-blue stare did the trick just fine. Pam folded her arms and tapped her foot like a spoiled child, while she directed her attention towards the ceiling. This was her being patient while telling you to hurry the fuck up and explain.

I tried my best - "Rather, I magicked myself here. Amelia had given me an enchanted talisman thingy, and said that if I was ever in a situation I didn't think I'd survive to use it. She'd given it to me as a gift. She said it was like witches pepper spray; they all carried one. Just in case." I shrugged. They were both immobile, which was rather unsettling. I waved my hands back and forth, "Hello?"

"Interesting," was the only reaction I got. Eric looked down and was contemplating something. He smiled. "I'll have to thank this Amelia, what a smart girl she is," he said. Pam made an noise behind Eric. Whatever it meant he got the message.

"Yes, that's fascinating how you got here, but forgive me for asking... why here?" I knew he was being careful with his words, he didn't want to hurt my feelings but at the same time was still curious. So was I.

"Uh... I don't know really. The talisman was supposed to send me to the place I felt..." Shit, I didn't want to admit this, especially not in front of Pam, "...safest." I was staring at my hands as I said this, but ventured a glance up at the two vampires. Eric was beaming, Pam simply looked bored. Great.

That last word hung in the air like a juicy stake dangling in front of a rabid dog. You could almost feel the room shrink as Eric's ego grew. I wanted to punch myself.

"Sookie," Pam started but then paused as she looked to Eric for permission to speak, he waved his hand nonchalantly in the air as if to say "go ahead" and she did. "That still doesn't answer how you knew to get to this place. Eric's home is kept secret from almost everyone. It's location is heavily guarded. How did you manage to find your way onto the property without detection?" A valid point if not confusing point.

"I didn't. Well, I mean, it wasn't like I showed up on the front lawn and walked in the door... I popped into the foyer." That sounded stupid, but that's what I'd done. "I don't remember much really. Everything was happening so fast, I just remember grabbing the talisman off of the chain round my neck, squeezing it and pop; I was gone. The next second, I was here." I shrugged again. Eric hadn't spoken this entire time, he was still smiling like an idiot to himself on the couch.

So it was once again Pam, who broke the silence. "That must be some magic."

"It was the bond," Eric finally spoke. He hadn't said it very loud, if anything it seemed he was speaking to the coals in fire as opposed to either one of us.

"Really now? Well, aren't you two just a pair of turtle doves. The connection must being getting stronger if she can find her way to you now Eric, without even the slightest clue as to where you are." Eric nodded in response.

I felt like I was going to black out again. The connection was getting stronger? How? We had barely interacted the past month and half. I had hardly seen or spoken to him. Once again, I found myself metaphorically, in way over my head. The bar for unbelievable things in my life was being raised so high lately I'm surprised I didn't just fly up into the sky with it.

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A/N: Do you really think Eric is going to let her get away with a stunt like that? hehehehe *evil laugh*


	6. Chapter 6: Next Time

A/N: The reason for the 'M' rating starts here. Most of you will probably enjoy it. You pervs! ;-) Haha

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"We have to hide her." Pam said, out of the blue. What? Hide me?

"I'm aware," Eric was shaking his head from side to side as he said this.

"Where do you think would be best?"

"The servants quarters on the third floor. I'm storing the extra Fangtasia calenders in there, so at least she'll be entertained."

"Lucky Sookie," said Pam in her trademark deadpan ennui. I sat listening to my undead friends talk about me as if I wasn't in the room. I obviously wasn't going to be invited into the conversation so I simply interrupted it.

"Why am I hiding?"

"Sandy is coming. There has been a disturbance in the Supe community and in my Area, she will want to check in and make sure the situation is being handled properly." Eric had gone into business mode. His face was blank as he spoke and all feeling left his eyes. I never did like business Eric much.

"I'll take her up, Sandy will arrive shortly." Pam moved to take my hand and lead me away when Eric beat her to it.

"No, I'll take her. It's my home, I like to be a good host to all my guests." There was an edge to his voice that worried me, but I allowed him to lead me to the stairs anyway. He draped his right arm over me and used his left to help guide me up the steps. I didn't need all the extra body contact, but this was Eric I was dealing with; extra body contact with me was his mission in life.

Pam didn't care about his little flourish of Southern Hospitality, she sighed and sat on the couch that Eric and I had napped on only ten minutes earlier. I missed it too much already.

We were halfway up the stairs when his mouth shot to my ear and slowly whispered, "If you think I'm letting you get away with your little performance before on the couch, you are sadly mistaken Lover."

My eyes widened as I stifled a shriek. I shivered and for the life of me couldn't decipher whether it was out of fear or eager anticipation. I settled on a healthy mixture of both. The edge to his voice earlier was heat, not concern. And here I was in his house, walking upstairs arm n' arm, to a secluded room, alone! God, help me.

The third floor's ceilings were lower than the first two, and Eric practically hit his head on the beams that ran only a few inches above him. We were at the back of the house I assumed, judging by the moon showing out through a hallway window. There were four doors off the hallway in this strange little part of the third story, and Eric lead me to the last one on the left. I didn't understand why I was being hidden so completely. They probably could have left in the kitchen and be done with it. Still, I had to ask. "Eri..." was all I could get out before a certain Viking's mouth was on mine.

I expected something along these lines, but not exactly the heartbreakingly tender, smooth and sensual version I got. I thought he'd slam me up against the wall and be done with it, but no, he wasn't hurried or desperate, just mind blowingly perfect. He wrapped his arms round me and gently moved me to the wall where he leaned into the kiss and my body with his. My god did this feel good. Eric had always been a fabulous kisser; a fabulous everything for that matter, but he was apparently going for the world record of amazing kisses with this one. I was only too happy to be on the receiving end of it.

He pulled back only to watch my face as he moved his right hand in between my legs. The look of shock and awe on my face pleased him, and he proved it by increasing his rhythm. He lifted off of me and placed his free arm to the side of my head on the wall, but didn't stop working me. His eyes never left mine as I became a quivering mass of bones and muscle in front of him. I wanted him to kiss me, but he wouldn't. I wanted him to hold me, but he stood firm. The only connection was through our eyes and his incredibly skilled fingers. I didn't know what to do with my arms or my body, so I simply pushed myself further into the wall; holding on for dear life as if it were going to fold under my weight. When I started to whimper and moved my head from side to side he took his free arm and held it steady, making me focus only on him. It was glorious agony.

I was about to loose it, totally and utterly. He hadn't spoken the entire time. He only held my gaze with those piercing eyes the color of ice. My hips started to buck, anticipating the climax.

"Almost there Lover?" He asked... his voice was husky but controlled.

"Ye-yes" I breathed, I didn't trust myself to make noise for fear I'd scream and Pam would hear.

"Does this feel good to you Lover?" I simply nodded my head furiously, my release couldn't come fast enough and I arched my back, moving into his hand even more.

"Good to know," and then abruptly, he stopped.

I made the strangest sound I'd ever heard come from my mouth. It was a mix of a gasp, a sob and a choke, but however it sounded, I was stunned. Eric smoldered at me with immense satisfaction. I could only stare back, realization dawning on my face.

"Next time, you'll think twice before teasing me like that and not finishing." He smiled down at me, brushed my cheek with the back of his hand and was out the door in a flash.

I was about to scream for lack of a better thing to do when he was back on me the next second, preventing me from doing anything but kiss him. He pulled away, practically burning me with the heat in his eyes. _Whoa_.

He said only one thing before leaving once more, "I will not be so cruel; we will finish this soon." He made the word finish sound like something a whole lot less banal than it was, and my body shuddered involuntarily once again. My knees gave out then, and I collapsed onto the floor. I couldn't speak, think, or move. I just sat, with my mouth half open... dazed.

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A/N: Told you he wouldn't let her get away with it. lol.

I have one little note here. I am not a huge fan of Eric calling Sookie 'Lover' all the time. In fact, I kind of hate it. HOWEVER, it is needed in some cases, and it would be a detraction from Eric's character not to throw it in here and there. Essentially, I'm saying, don't get used to hearing it, cause I don't use it that much from here on own.


	7. Chapter 7: Sugar and Spice

"Are you narcoleptic?" Pam asked above me.

"Whu?" my cheek was lying on something cool and hard, my nose felt itchy from dust and in front of me was a stack of Fangtasia calenders. _I must be on the floor_ I thought.

"I'm assuming since you keep falling asleep everywhere you go, you don't get enough. You should work on that Sookie." Pam was always so helpful with her advice giving. Sweet thing.

"Thank you Pam, I'll consider that."

"Good, now if you could get up off that floor?"

"Sure." I shoved off the floor and tried to right myself. My clothes were rather jumbled and my brain more so. When everything stopped spinning round me, the reason I had ended up on the floor came back to me. Along with blood curdling anger. I practically started shaking with rage in front of Pam.

"You're shaking again too, Sookie your health is something you should look after more carefully. Mortals have very delicate systems." As if I didn't know. Despite the meaning of the words, Pam said them with the flattest unfeeling tone she could muster. I just started laughing.

"Alright you strange girl, come on now." Pam picked me up while I was still having my fit of giggles and literally did a fireman's carry to get me downstairs. I allowed it, bouncing the entire time on her slim shoulder as I purged my anger through my manic laughter.

Plop! Onto the napping couch I went. I grabbed a cushion, curled up into a fetal position and snuggled. I didn't stop laughing the entire time. When I caught the intoxicating sent of Eric on the fabric I started to cry. I really sounded like a complete lunatic. My Gran would have slapped me upside the head if she saw me like this, and she'd be right to do it, that's what I needed; a good slap alla Cher in Moonstruck. Snap out'ov it!

I didn't get a slap. Instead two huge white hands grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me, hard. What was left of my ponytail fell out and I was practically given whiplash before he was done. It worked however, I shut up, only to focus on those eyes again. Those eyes that earlier had tortured me to the breaking point.

"Bastard!" I slapped him. Pam literally barked out a laugh. Again, for her, huge reaction. Eric smirked.

"You deserved it," his smile was so dangerous my next profanity caught in my throat and came out a strangled, "urgh."

"Now we're even." But that got my voice working.

"I don't care! I don't care! You don't just leave a woman like that!"

"I wasn't planning on leaving you like that for long," and he was dead serious.

At this point I had lost all modesty, and didn't really give a heel if Pam knew what had happened between us upstairs, because she probably already did. She was probably loving it too. Why not give her a show?

"How come Pam came and got me then? Why am I down here on a sofa instead of in a bed somewhere in this massive house with you?" I even shocked myself with how brazen that sounded, and retracted. That's not how Southern Belle's acted. Today was just a bad day for eloquence, and I looked down at my knees curled up beneath me, crestfallen.

Eric wrapped himself around me and rocked me again, like he'd done early in the evening. _How long will this damn day last?_ I pondered. I wanted to stay angry but couldn't. Eric was getting too good at soothing me, and whether I liked it or not, our bond made it all the better. He was sending me vibes through it. Calming ones, and I absorbed them like water to a sponge. I could also feel that he needed to tell me something, so I pulled away and looked up at him, alert.

He understood my silent questioning and said "Sam is not as good as we had hoped. The Fellowship did a number on him before Alcide and the pack could get him out."

"And the men who did it to him?"

"Dead."

"Good." I know that wishing someone dead was a horrible thing and two years ago I would have shocked myself at sounding so satisfied with that news, but that was two years ago. Things were immensely different in my life now. Someone tried to kill Sam, I was glad they were gone.

"What can I do? What should I do?"

"Nothing right now. Everything is being handled. There is no one to interrogate because they're all dead, sadly." I raised an eyebrow at him. "What I mean is, I wish I hadn't missed the fight. I would have loved to have decapitated the men who tried to harm you." He stroked my hair with his hand and cupped my face. I pressed into it, nuzzling. Vampires had such lovely smells to them, and Eric's was addictive it was so alluring. It was a mixture of pine, crisp air, musk and clove. 'Sugar and spice and everything nice', I hummed.

"You're always humming around me," he said with a smile before embracing me once more.

I spoke into his chest, "Will Sam be okay?"

"Yes. Maybe not soon, but eventually, yes."

"Was anyone else hurt?"

"Not bad enough for you to worry." Pam was tapping her foot in the background. I couldn't bring myself to care. Neither could Eric.

"I'll say a prayer for them anyway." Eric chuckled into my hair and I heard and felt it vibrating in his chest. My favorite feeling and sound. I was going to have to do something really fabulous for Amelia as a thank you. Her talisman was a genius.

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A/N: Sookie literally bitch slapped Eric and got away with it! HA!

*sigh*

Reviews make Eric finish what he starts... ;-)


	8. Chapter 8: Ne Me Quitte Pas

A/N: It was brought to my attention back when I wrote this chapter about three months ago that most of the French speaking/Creole people of Louisiana are in the south, and not so much in the north where Sookie grew up. Sooooo because of that, some of what Sookie says in this chapter doesn't make sense. I am asking y'all to just suspend your disbelief for a bit. After all, it is a story about Supes.

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Things needed to be done and sorted at Castle Eric, and I desperately needed a shower. As much as I wanted to take Eric up on the rather flattering offer he gave of giving me one himself, I really just wanted to get home and collect what was left of my sanity. Mind blowing sex wouldn't have helped. Well, it would have, but only to actually blow what was left of my mind out the window. So, I reluctantly allowed Eric to call for a car to take me home.

My soundtrack on the way, in the back of a chauffeured car was, "_Ne me quitte pas... Il faut oublier, Tout peut s'oublier...Qui s'enfuit déjà.._" I think Nina was trying to tell me something. I didn't appreciate it. "_Et le temps perdu...A savoir comment, Oublier ces heures..._" And she was slowly ripping my heart out of my chest, that heartbreakingly soulful bitch.

Growing up in a Creole part of the south, and hearing Nina Simone blasting from every Granny's transistor radio in the parish, I didn't need to know proper French to understand those lyrics. I knew them by heart anyway.

"Sir, ah Sir! Could we change the station?" I couldn't stand this song. It fit too perfectly for how I was feeling right now, and how much I didn't want to leave Eric. I also hated to admit that to myself. He was were I felt safest, both physically and mentally. Going back home just put space between us. Space I didn't want. I became more edgy the larger the gap between our bodies became.

"Ah, Miss Nina is my favorite. Just listen to the soul in her voice!" My driver was an avid fan apparently. Great.

"...._Le coeur du bonheur._" Oh hell. " _Ne me quitte pas, Ne me quitte pas_." The tears started at her last refrain of 'don't leave me' and I couldn't have agreed more. I rocked myself in the back of sedan, trying to stay quiet while the head of the Nina Simone fan club sang along with my heartbreak up front.

Knock, knock, knock.

"What the..?" I heard myself yelp. We were driving, fast. Who would knock... oh! Eric! I pushed the button to let the window roll down. It descended at a snail's pace, sometimes I hated modern technology.

As I was silently cursing the makers of the car, a large white hand shot in the window and grabbed the back of my neck. Eric's blond head followed suit, and he kissed me as sensually as any vampire hanging half out of a speeding car window could. Our blond hair flew all round our heads as the wind swept it every which way. It was fabulous. He released my mouth and then licked my tears away. The gesture was both passionate and sweet.

The chauffeur had caught up to what was happening in the back seat and slowed the car, pulling over to the side of the road. Eric dissapeared through the darkened glass for a second too long before opening the door and inviting himself in.

"I think I've been missed," he stated as he triumphantly folded himself onto the leather seat, curling me into his lap. I was happy to see him, but did he have to gloat like that?

"Yes, you have. But don't get cocky or you'll ruin that fabulous moment I just had."

"You just had? I have never kissed someone through the window of a moving vehicle before, it was fantastic. That fabulous moment was mutual, let me assure you." And to prove his word he kissed me again. It didn't last nearly long enough.

"Sookie," Eric said this with his business tone, the fun, for the moment was over.

"Yes, Eric?"

"Sam, as you know will be.... lets just say unable to run things during his convalescence. " Thank God that was on my word of the day calender, I would of had too much pride to ask what it meant otherwise.

"And..." I prompted.

"And.... I have decided to look over the bar during that time." I so didn't see that coming.

"What?"

"Yes, I think it fitting. Sam's business will not suffer, you can keep your job, and I can keep an eye out on you." He was choosing his words, but the possessive undertones rang through loud and clear.

"What about Fangtasia? What about Pam?" I was grasping at straws, and I knew it.

"Pam is perfectly capable of running things while I'm gone. And I won't be at Merlotte's every night of the week. Nor is Shreveport far."

"Is this what you were talking about while I was passed out upstairs?"

"You passed out?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashed with amusement mixed with lust.

"Focus Eric!"

He did. "Yes, it is in my best interest in a way. Bon Temps is part of my territory."

"Where will you stay?" As if I already didn't know the answer to that question.

"With you girlfriend!" He said in an affected voice as he leaned in and gave me a dainty peck on the lips. I smirked in spite of myself. My insides were leaping with joy but a part of my brain screamed at them to stop. Whenever I hosted a vampire at my house, bad things always happened. Even when it was Eric. I hoped Amelia and Octavia didn't mind sharing a bathroom with a vampire.

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A/N: The song used is by the fabulous Nina Simone! If you want a rough translation of the lyrics here is a site.


	9. Chapter 9: Don't Kill the Messenger

"Are you Crazy!?"

I had often asked myself that same question, though when it came to this, I was pretty sure I was sound in the brain department. "No, I'm tired, worn out, mentally drained, achy and in bad need of a shower, but crazy? No." Eric patted me on the arm encouragingly. I simply just leaned into his side, using him as a rather tall crutch. He didn't mind.

My first set of nerves had calmed when he joined me on my journey home, but a whole new batch had brewed for telling my house mates that they would, in fact, be sharing their bathroom with a vampire. As I watched the sedan roll back down my drive, I couldn't help but wonder how they were going to take it. Amelia didn't seem too thrilled and Octavia wasn't even home yet. Good grief.

"Eric can not stay here. We don't have enough room!" Amelia was being slightly tactless, as usual, and sounded rather like a spoiled brat. She didn't seem to have a filter between her brain and her mouth, and often times spoke before really thinking it through. It also didn't go unnoticed that she said "we" as if this was actually her house, and not just a place she rented a room in. She added, "Eric, really, nothing against you but three women and a vampire? Come on!"

"I've handled more than three Amelia, believe me." He flashed a smile in her direction and I literally "heard" her next thought die in her brain and an entire new crop of curious ones blossom in its place.

"Don't ask Amelia! Just... don't." I put up a hand to reiterate my plea. She just looked at me, slightly miffed. "Really, Amelia, why is it so bad? He won't be here every night," _wait_...." will you?" I asked. I hadn't actually considered him staying here for any extended length of time. Just on late nights after closing the bar. This was something we probably should of discussed in the car on the way over.

"For when I'm doing my work at Merlotte's yes, I'll be staying here. When a need arises for me at Fangtasia, I will stay... elsewhere." Well, that was vague.

"Amelia, just think of him as like a really tall guard dog." Eric held back a laugh at this, I could tell, but Amelia seemed to be taking my last suggestion seriously.

"I guess it would be nice to have an extra level of security. What with all the negative activity in the Supe communities lately." She was thinking out loud, and not really speaking to us. Eric and I both just egged her on with agreeable nods. "And, I'm sure you'd be happier to have him around Sookie." Again, slightly tactless. Yes, of course a part of me would be totally thrilled to have Eric around, but another more cautious part of me was dreading what kind of target this might make all of us. Plus, there was my neighbor and ex, Bill. I didn't even want to think about his reaction. I just hoped I was becoming paranoid.

Before Amelia could say another thing I clapped my hands and said, "So its settled then? Great. I need a shower. Excuse me." And off I went. My clothes couldn't come off fast enough, I tell you. Ugh. I didn't care that I was being a rude host and leaving both my house guests in the kitchen, I needed to relax.

The hot water felt great on my achy muscles, and I stood underneath the spray for about ten minutes straight letting it work its magic. I didn't care if I scaled my skin clean off, the water couldn't be hot enough, it was so soothing. As I washed my arms with soap a crackling in the air occurred round me. It was electric and I felt the hairs on my arms stand up. Despite the heat from the water I shivered.

I started to feel all shaky and week kneed so I decided getting into bed where I couldn't slip and crack my skull open, would be a good idea. I turned off the water and pulled back the shower curtain to retrieve my robe. What I saw instead of my robe leaning on the counter was Eric, stock still and frozen. His hands gripped the counter and his face held an expression of shock and...longing? I didn't know what to do, I had an Eric statue in my bathroom and it didn't look like he was gonna start moving anytime soon.

I slowly picked up a towel and wrapped it round me, never once taking my eyes off the vampire who was staring past me, frozen in thought. About 5 minutes later, when I couldn't stand it anymore, was of course when he moved. His eyes closed and and he lowered his head. I still didn't know what to make of all this so I just stood, freezing yet fascinated. I didn't plan for what happened next.

Eric's head stayed bowed but his eyes shot up from under his lashes and latched on to mine like a magnet. I jerked. Eric had connected with me, and literally filled me with an entire series of memories and images. If it was possible to feel a weeks worth of orgasms in a moments worth of time, thats what I felt. Sweet Jesus, Shepherd of Judah, what did he just do? My entire body shuddered with memory and my head flew back involuntarily.

I started to fall forward the next second, my legs seriously giving out on me, for the second time today and Eric caught me. I looked up into his eyes, stunned, and he returned my bewildered look, equally amazed. I had never been high in my life but whatever that was, I was willing to bet it was better than any drug or rush you could get. Lordy!

Even though Eric didn't breathe we both stood there, holding onto each other, panting. Aftershocks rocketed around the bathroom. It felt as if they were bouncing off the walls and back into us. _Wow_. "Can you do that again?" I asked, flabbergasted. Eric looked down at me amused and then roared with laughter. I heard the vibrations in his chest. My favorite sound.

"If I knew I was going to do it the first time, I'd of paid more attention. I'm just as shocked as you are." Well, darn. Another aftershock of electricity hit us and we both slumped to the floor. I thanked God that Amelia had cleaned the bathroom just the other day in one of her OCD fits. Eric's hands were tight around me but my towel I was realizing, wasn't. For some reason, I didn't mind being naked in front of him at that moment. Maybe it was the connection but when he kissed me I couldn't get enough, and leaned into it with gusto.

In terms of fevered, passionate, and oh-my-god-you-can't-get-close-enough-to-me kisses, this one took the cake. My hands were tangled in his hair and his, well his, were everywhere. When they settled it was on my lower back and hips, forcing me to arch further into him. Not that I needed assistance, my body usually had a mind of its own, and when it came to Eric, it couldn't help itself. Which I didn't mind, the only problem was he was still dressed. That really needed to be fixed, and fast.

Just as I was undoing the top button on his jeans, and he was nibbling down my neck, there was a knock at the door.

"Go away!" We both yelled in unison and I laughed into his hair and he chuckled while tickling behind my ear with his tongue. _My god_, did I miss that tongue. The knocking came again, and I seriously wanted to kill whoever was behind that door. I'm sure Eric was planning something similar, as he picked me up while I was still straddling him, and with one hand he jerked the bathroom door open a few inches, while supporting me round his waist with the other.

"Yes?" he growled. It sent shivers down my spin.

"Pam is here," I heard a terrified Amelia say," and she brought a vampire named Victor with her. They're waiting on the front porch." Eric cursed. I didn't actually understand what he said because it was in a language I'm sure no one had heard in about a 1000 years, but still, its intent was crystal clear.

"Fine then," he growled once more, than as if remembering his manners added rather curtly, "thank you Amelia." Despite its intention, the words sounded the opposite of what they meant. Amelia took that as her cue to get the fuck out of there and left. I "heard" her saying _'Gezz... don't kill the messenger_.'

Eric reluctantly put me down, and I reluctantly complied. I would have much rather kept my legs wrapped round him for the next several hours than going out to my living room to invite Victor and Pam in, dammit.

"I'll go speak with them on the porch. You, take your time getting dressed. " He kissed me then, pressing me into him again for a long hot moment before saying, "We will finish this later." _You bet your ass we would!_ That was the second time in one day I was built up only to be shot down again.

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A/N: Don't you just hate it when that happens? *sigh*


	10. Chapter 10: Don't let the Bed Bugs Bite

Three vamps, a witch and a telepath walk into a bar.... just kidding. But seriously, the comedic fodder that could be taken from the situation in my living room was golden. After inviting Victor and Pam in, getting all three vampires a warm drink and settling onto various chairs and couches a silence fell, and I really had to hold back a fit of giggles. Really, was this needed?

Pam broke the silence, she was really good at that. I thanked her internally.

"Victor has come to offer an apology to you Sookie, from the King."

"Oh. Well, thank you, but I don't see why the king should apologize?"

At this Victor spoke up, "Because you have been harmed, and after the King had stated you'd have his protection. We should have been paying more attention to your situation." My situation, what was my situation? Did the King's mafioso's resent the fact that they had to watch over a mortal barmaid? I decided to stop thinking about it too hard before I pissed myself off. Victor was waiting for a response.

"I see. Well, I guess we can all be thankful that none of the victims were actually killed. And, I accept your apology." Even though I wanted to slap him. This seemed like a perfectly good example of 'dragging ones feet'. Pam brought him here, and then Pam prompted the apology. If Pam weren't here I'd bet he'd still be staring at me as he sipped his TruBlood through a straw. Well, Eric probably would have made him speak.... wait, where was Eric?

I looked around me and saw he was leaning against the frame of the back hallway. The one that lead to my bedroom. He practically filled the entire opening to the hallway with his size. Hint, hint Victor.

I marveled for a second at how small my home looked with Eric in it, but how nicely they fit nonetheless when he suddenly shot another look at me. Our eyes locked and we connected again, another series of images and memories rocketed threw me and I spasmed, twirling around on the couch to face forward again, instinctively crossing my legs in the process. The two vamps and the witch stared at me bewildered. Amelia was wondering what the hell had gotten into me. That made me laugh, the answer was standing behind me, practically humming with emotion. The giggling only made them all look even more unsettled.

"Sorry, it's chilly in here, isn't it?" I shivered for added effect, as if the cold air in the house could explain whatever the hell I'd just done. Pam came to my rescue once again.

"Silly humans do have delicate systems, did you know...." She spoke to Victor as if he'd never seen a human before. Victor was nodding, I only assumed to be polite, there is no way he bought the crap Pam was shilling. She was about delve into an explanation of human self combustion when Eric finally spoke. _It's about time!_ I thought.

"Yes, that is fascinating Pam but I think we should finish discussing the subject at hand. Or if there is no more to discuss, perhaps we should let Victor be on his way." He started walking towards to the door as if to tell Victor, '_get the fuck out_,' when Victor put up a hand. It was like using the ''pause'' button on the remote, we all froze.

"True Eric, we should get back to why I came. It was of course to apologize to Miss Sookie," he bowed in my direction, "And also to say that Felipe will be leaving the country to go on Holiday. He realizes it is a bad time, but he needs his relaxation, and was wondering if you Eric could take on some of his responsibilities in Louisiana in his absence?" Eric was still frozen in mid-stride halfway towards the front door, his face was hard.

"Do I have a choice in the matter?"

"No."

"Then there is no point in me answering. Whatever the King needs of me." He gracefully bowed then, as Victor rose to leave. When he straightened I was so glad I wasn't on the receiving end of his stare. I probably would have peed my pants from fear.

Pam and Eric walked Victor out to his car, apparently Pam had brought her own. Once he was pulling down the drive and out of sight the two vampires zoomed back into the living room; game faces on.

"He's such a charming ass." Pam said. Amelia laughed, and the two shared a moment over their dislike for Victor. Eric on the other hand was at my side and leading me back towards the bedroom. I guess Pam was going to let herself out.

"Pam," he called back, "if you could leave my things in the living room that'd be fine."

"Sure thing boss," Pam said rather sarcasticly, while sounding more bored than ever.

"Night you two!" I squeaked. We were almost to the bedroom, Eric wasn't going to waste anymore time. I had trouble breathing the anticipation was almost too much. My insides were jumping up and down.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite." I heard Pam say before Eric slammed the bedroom door shut.

The bed bugs were not at the front of my mind, far from it. Eric was slowly taking off his shirt, revealing his long, statuesque torso. The last coherent thought I had that night, was a memory of reading somewhere that Michelangeo was gay. I figured thats why his male statues were so perfect; he was making fantasies for himself. I smiled at that, because ol' Mike would have wept with joy if he'd had ever met Eric. In my eyes, he was walking perfection.

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A/N: Believe it or not, I might leave it at there for now. At least for tonight. Maybe one more update before bed.

I'll think about it. ;-)


	11. Chapter 11: Good Vibrations

A/N: More of the reason why this story is rated 'M' is in this chapter. What a better way to start a morning? lol.

The ladies on IMDB practically forced me to write this, it took me 11 chapters to do it. So in honor of you ladies, Enjoy!

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He was walking perfection that was taking way to long to get to me. He had long legs, he should use them! A devious smile developed upon his face as he watched me squirm slightly, waiting for him. Eagerly. Way too eagerly. The bastard was enjoying himself, dammit.

The atmosphere was becoming more strained as he paced himself. I hadn't realized the length of my room was so damn large... But the electricity was there, just like it had been in the bathroom. A vibration of emotion so strong, I could hear the air humming. I felt like it was lifting me up, as if I were floating in water, it was so tangible. Eric must have noticed it too cause I saw him regard the hairs on his arms as he felt them stand up straight. His face was a mixture of wonderment and sheer curious joy as he looked back and forth from me to his own body. Something was building, and it wasn't our libidos, they were already at critical mass. Something else, it was getting quicker. The humming turned to soft echoing. An echoing of itself, back and forth, back and forth. All this was too much to take, I could even see Eric become apprehensive when suddenly it all snapped. Like the final note of a symphony that resounded to a close with a pluck of a bass string. I could almost hear it.

We were both released from it. Our bodies slumped and I began to breathe again. I hadn't noticed that I had stopped. Eric and I both looked at each other for a moment, silently questioning what the hell had just happened between us? Again, another unexplainable occurrence.

Eric's face was set now. He wasted no time crossing the room to me as he picked me up in his arms, finally embracing the heat of the moment. He was trying to go for another record breaker of a kiss. I seriously thought that he needed to stop trying, he was too damn good to begin with. My body was reacting in ways I thought impossible for just a simple kiss. His mouth moved down my jaw and towards my neck, nibbling but not biting. I arched my back as he moved further down my body. Every kiss he left the electricity hummed in its place.

He made quick work of my clothing. I actually don't know where it went, or when it went, or how it got off, but I assumed Eric did it since my arms were too busy trembling with anticipation. They couldn't of possible worked a button at that moment, and I had been too busy watching Eric kiss my body to actually notice if I was clothed or not. Apparently, I was naked. Thank God for vampire speed, it made some things so much better.

As he worked his way down to my hips and dipped his head between my legs I arched back until my head touched a pillow and slumped down, fully embracing the feeling of the electricity and Eric's tongue. The combination was overwhelming in the stimulation it created. I writhed beneath it. Eric push my legs wider to allow for more access to me and I happily complied. He couldn't get close enough, deep enough. _My god._

His head snapped up suddenly and I whimpered for the loss of him, he smirked at me, up the length of my body as we held each other's stare. He replaced his tongue with his fingers and smiled as he watched me squirm even more. The electricity was building again, and this time my climax went with it. He bit my thigh as my first spasm rocketed through me. The combination of my release mixed with my blood enhancing it ten fold. I had often read and heard orgasms described as an explosion but I doubted they were ever really telling the truth. As I came apart at the seems with mine, I understood. My hips couldn't control themselves as they bucked and twisted, I almost completely turned on the bed. Eric dipped his head again, as he licked me once more for good measure. His cool tongue felt like it left of a trail of sparks that made me spasm even more. I was practically spent and he hadn't even entered me yet. Lordy.

Just as I was thinking that I was going to pass out from the aftershocks, I felt him. _Woo, Hello!_ He once again took my head in his hand and focused my stare at him.

"Look at me," he stated as he slid into me. It was a good thing his hand was holding on to my face because my involuntary arch sent my body careening backwards and I would have lost his eye contact otherwise. I'm glad I hadn't. He connected with me again, not just physically, it was a mental connection. Together the two somehow filled me with energy, and as we began to move I let it take over. He was giving me energy, lots of it. I gladly soaked it all in, the longer this lasted, the happier I was.

He released my face to brace himself on either side of me. Working himself deeper. I wouldn't dare look away now. The humming was back and we both enjoyed its company as it guided us through the most bizarre yet incredible sex I had ever had. Bizarre in the way that I had never been so connected with a person. So, fully one. Whole.

Eric was practically purring as he growled with the movement. I wrapped my legs round him, he couldn't get deep enough. I didn't care that he was the largest man I'd ever taken, nor that I probably wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow. Right now, I wanted him in me as completely as he could be. I cried his name as I felt my climax coming. He enjoyed that and pushed harder and faster. He found my spot and he knew it from my reaction. He repeated his thrusts, enjoying my squirms as he went. His hair flowed around his face and the lust in his eyes was so, I felt drunk from the intoxication of it. He was slowly loosing it too, we both were; ecstatic insanity.

When it hit we both screamed. Well, I screamed, he roared. We closed our eyes and yet still saw each other in them. I froze and so did Eric, I wanted to hold on to that moment for as long as I could, while Eric spasmed in me every few seconds. He wiggled one last time before I felt his bones turn to goo and he dropped on top of me. It knocked the breathe out of me, but I didn't care. Eric would never be allowed to leave me again if I had my way.

We both squeezed each other for a moment. Embracing the feel of our electrified skin, before he moved off me, leaving me and I felt the loss all too fully. He curled me into him, like he had on the couch and I wiggled against him again, and felt him chuckle softly into my hair. I had tired out a Viking. That was an ego boost.

I wanted to ask him what it all meant, as corny as that sounded. I wanted to know why we could connect like we had. Why he could show me things and send actual physical memories into me. Where the humming had come from and why it started in the first place. Was this the bond? That was my biggest concern. Was this all to do with our blood being mixed and tied? My body was goo but my brain swarmed with questions. Eric was still behind me and I assumed he was in down time. _I won't bother him now,_ I thought. My brain may have been filled with unresolved questions and incoherent ponderings, but neither of us were in any state to discuss them. I sunk into relaxation and just decided to enjoy the state of post coital bliss I was in.

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A/N: Haha! I hadn't read that in months. *cringes*


	12. Chapter 12: On Strike

A/N: Warning, short Chapter! I'll make up for it later.

_________________

I woke out of my blissful reverie just before dawn, having to pee like a racehorse! It really wasn't funny, and what was even less funny was that I literally had trouble moving. I was sore, really sore, but sore in that good way. My muscles were all tuckered out but my blood was coursing with endorphins, dulling the pain and leaving me with a euphoric high. That high only worked in my brain however and did nothing for my poor limbs.

I was a giggling mess as I crawled off the bed, hands and arms first, onto the floor. My legs plopped down and made a rather loud thud, this stirred Eric out of his sleepy downtime. I looked back up as I heard the bed creak with his movement. His glowing golden head was staring down at me, slightly puzzled.

"Lover? What are you doing down there?"

"Peeing! Or I will in a second if I don't get to the bathroom." I said this while still giggling like a school girl. Eric simply looked down at me, confused. "My legs aren't working. I'm blaming you." That he understood and within two seconds he had scooped me up in his arms and deposited me into the bathroom. He sat me on the edge of the tub, since my legs still weren't working- I assessed that they had fallen asleep and just hadn't woken up yet - before closing the door behind him to give me privacy.

A few minutes later, my bladder empty, I wobbled and groped my way back to bed, still laughing to myself. Sweet Jesus was I loopy. I guess fantastical, electrified, symphonic humming sex would do that to you? This did not bode well for my job as a barmaid. Standing all day required the use of my legs.

"You're rather unstable, if I may point that out, Lover" Eric said as he watched me hovel back.

"Yes, I noticed that too. My legs don't want to work. I think they're on strike."

"What on earth do you think we could do, to get them working again?" He was smiling an innocent smile, which of course meant devious thoughts were in his head. Uh oh... He didn't wait for me to respond, he just dipped his head down and started kissing up the length of them. From my feet to my thighs. His hair brushed along with his mouth and made me shiver. I took my hand and pushed the locks back off of his face as he was lingering by my hip. He looked up at me and smiled, it was sweet and genuine. I smiled back, unable to help myself.

We shared a soft memory then. One when the Eric lying on my stomach was My Eric, and not the one who only belonged to himself. He was the Eric that wanted to stay with me and make sure I was cared for. I could feel Eric sinking into that memory and embracing it. He wanted me to know that he still felt that way. He couldn't say it, but he could feel it, and so could I. The tears were about to start, so I looked away.

The sky was showing signs of dawn. The pitch black of the night was turning to a royal blue tinged with violet, hinting that the sunrise would be a beautiful one, though it wasn't something Eric and I could share.

"I think that is my cue," he said and rose to his full height. I stared at him, awed. What were we going to do? Something needed to be resolved here. We needed to break this whole strange situation down and figure out what we meant to each other. Though for me, I think I was already in too deep. In for a penny, in for a pound. I was about ten pounds in, though I hated admitting that to myself. Was he? Could he ever be? Ugh, the questions were worse than the uncertainty they created.

"Sleep tight," I said, and Eric bent down to kiss me. I was self conscious about my morning breath, but Eric didn't seem to care. This kiss held meaning, and I really enjoyed it. When it ended he took my face in his hands and gave me one last good look, before leaving. It was a silent and intense. Eye contact really was a high for Eric. He brushed a kiss on my forehead and left.

I sunk into the pillows, dazed and happy. I felt safe because Eric was nearby, and fell asleep all the more happy for it.

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A/N: Ahh, 'Lover' makes an appearance in this chapter. Enjoy it. It doesn't happen much more.


	13. Chapter 13: Hickory and Magic

Later on that morning (or what I thought was morning) I woke to the smell of magic. Octavia was back, I could sense her thinking brain lurking in the kitchen, along with Amelia's. They were up to something, and it smelt strong.

I resigned myself to the fact that I'd sleep any longer with the smell of magic seeping through the house and begrudgingly got up. My legs were working a bit better as I shlepped to the kitchen after throwing on my robe and a pair of slippers. The air was getting colder as fall was slowly turning to winter and I cranked the thermostat up a few notches on my way.

"What are you two up to?"

Two pairs of glazed over eyes swayed to meet mine and I stepped back instinctively. They were obviously in the middle of something real deep and I didn't want to disturb. I was groggy from a lack of sleep (along with other things) and realized all too late that I probably should of just grabbed a cup of coffee and walked right back out of the kitchen without asking anything. This certainly wasn't the first time those gals got up to something strange in the house; I should of known.

"Oh good, you are up." Amelia was speaking slowly and carefully; it freaked me out.

"We are adding more protection to the house and need something of Eric's to complete the spell."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"We're adding him into the protective arms of the house's spells. You allowed him to enter with you before, which let him pass, but if he were to leave and return on his own, it would be rather... difficult for him to breech the barrier." Octavia explained this while still glassy eyed and spacey. "What we're doing, will make it so he won't have that problem," she finished.

Great. Whatever. I really just wanted my coffee. "What exactly will this do to people who just want to visit?"

"If they mean us no harm the magic will not activate. Only if they have malicious intent, the magic will take action, much like your motion detector lights," Octavia said.

"So.... you need something of Eric's? Does it matter what?" The smell was so strong I held my nose.

"Anything will be fine. A piece of clothing maybe?" Amelia spoke while twirling her hands in the air, as if conducting a rather whimsical chorus.

I nodded and walked right back out the kitchen, gasping for cleaner air as I went. On the floor of my bedroom lay Eric's shirt, and after retrieving it I inhaled his scent deeply as I walked it back to the kitchen. It worked as an intoxicating reminder of how delicious he smelt and as a buffer from the fumes of the magic. I was reluctant to give it up. No harm came to it however, Amelia simply laid it out on the kitchen table and chanted over it with her whimsical arm movements.

I grabbed my coffee and high tailed it out of there. Despite the cold I went out on the front porch for fresh air, and to rock on the large swing Jason had installed for Gran many years back. The air outside was chilly but dry and crisp. I breathed it in greedily, aching for clean oxygen after inhaling so many magic fumes. Those girls were downright loopy from them, and I feared my short time around them would give me a contact high. It didn't, but still; I'm groggy enough in the mornings.

Someone was burning hickory near by and it filled the air with the scent of winter, almost completely masking the magic. Wood burning fires were always a staple in cold weather. The crisp air would be filled with a hint of cedar, pine and oak as the wind carried it by, and I cherished it.

I sat for a good while on the porch. Sipping my coffee and enjoying the warmth of my slippers and robe as I swung back and forth on the swing. I was trying to give the ladies in the kitchen as much time as possible to build up their invisible barriers. I didn't appreciate my house smelling like a New Age hippie-dippie shop, but I did enjoy the idea of added protection. Sometimes it sure was helpful to have two witches living with you.

The sun was low in the sky, that surprised me. Surely part of the reason could be the season, the sun was always lower in winter, but I assumed it was probably later than I had originally expected. It certainly wasn't morning, more like mid afternoon by the look of it. I slumped lower, curling up my legs and smiling to myself. Eric would be up soon.

That thought also made me pause... Eric would be up. What were we gonna do about this odd situation we had suddenly found ourselves in? Or more importantly, what was _he_ going to do? I decided after a few more minutes that I'd just lay low and see what his immediate reaction would be. No need in letting myself freak out unless I had something real serious to freak out over. I_ hoped_ I had nothing to major to worry about. _Oh, dear_.

"What are we gonna do?" I said to the air.

I sighed and got up to head back inside. With the sun being so low in the sky, causing a lack of solar heat, the day got chillier the longer I stayed out. I had no desire to catch a cold, so into the big old house I went.

The smell of magic had lessened and as I picked up a throw to wrap round myself from the sofa, Amelia came out of the kitchen holding Eric's shirt. "Here y'are," she said rather perky. She was proud of herself, immensely. Apparently the spells had worked out. That was good.

"Thanks, I'll throw it in with the laundry. I've been meaning to do some."

"Oh I was about to do a load, I'll add it too it." She paused, pulling together her next sentence before saying it. That was very rare for Amelia; I wondered why she was so worried? "Eric will now be allowed to come and go from the property as he pleases. He is now encased in the house's protections," she said carefully.

That didn't seem too scandalous a thing to say, "Amelia, what's with the cautious tone?" What else had she done?

"Well, it also means that his invitation can not be rescinded." Amelia's eyes went down to the floor as she said the last word and I gasped.

"What!?" _Seriously? That was possible?_ "Amelia, what if I want to kick him out?"

"Well, judging from last night... I just assumed..."

"Assumed what?" I spat back at her.

"I felt the humming in the air Sookie. It was a deep connection you two created and shared last night. Deeper than I had ever experienced either first hand or heard about from books or stories. Something magical happened last night, and it wasn't coming from my bedroom." I saw my face reflected in her thoughts, and it was looking pale, shocked and a little embarrassed. "After feeling something like that buzzing round me, I correctly assumed that his invitation would probably never need to be rescinded from this house." She folded her arms and gave me a satisfied smile.

"Correctly assumed? Don't think I didn't catch that. The next time you assume anything, correct or otherwise you ask me first!" I scolded. Seriously, sometimes I guess it wasn't so handy living with witches.

I stalked off to the bathroom then to brush my teeth and shower. I wanted to fight more, just for the sake of letting off steam, but she was right. Something unexplainable happened the previous evening, and it wasn't just fantastical symphonic humming sex. I would never want Eric banned from my house, I barely wanted him to leave it. I hated admitting that, but the more I thought it, the more I couldn't ignore it. The flood gates had been opened and I had to deal with what was coming at me. A whole lotta raw emotion and unexplained questions.

As the water poured over my head I let all of it drift up to the front of my brain, trying to sift through it, to see what to start out with first. The big _'what do I mean to him_?' question or the more vague yet equally daunting '_what does this all mean? Period._' question. Just as I was deciding, two large white hands came to rest on my shoulders. I sighed, relieved and happy, all the uncertainty leaving my brain. The hands started to massage and rub free my soar and strained muscles and I let my head fall forward, enjoying the firm touch of those fingers on my skin. I leaned back into the body connected to those hands and watched as wet blond locks flowed with mine under the spray of the water. Nothing felt wrong or strange at the moment. In fact, the only feeling I had then was a stirring of anticipation. I pushed into Eric and felt him respond eagerly. He let a moan slip out from his lips and what that did to my libido was sinful.

Questions could wait; my body and Eric, couldn't.

This time I didn't notice the humming had joined us until I was halfway through my first climax. The shuddering of spasms was so strong through my body that the vibrations round me in the bathroom didn't register until I was coming down from that first glorious high. Eric had me up against the tile wall and was purring into my shoulder as each thrust wrapped me tighter around him, and brought him that much closer to his release.

My eyes were closed to keep the water out, but bursts of electric light showed behind my eyelids. It looked like what a fireworks display would be seen as if I were on acid. At least, that's what I thought, as Eric exploded inside of me, sending me over the edge with him so suddenly I hadn't even realized I was building up to another wave. I'd never taken drugs, but Eric was quickly becoming my favorite kind, if you could consider him one. I laughed to myself as I thought, _I'm not on acid, I'm on Eric._

He slid out of me an placed me down on the floor of the tub. I wasn't having any of that, he couldn't be done with me so soon. I bent down and wrapped my mouth around him to ready him again. He wasn't allowed to stop, not while I was still so eager. My surprising brazenness caught him off guard and he threw his head back with a moan so seductive my knees went weak as I worked him; greedy to find more ways to elicit such reactions from him again. I enjoyed hearing his pleasure, and enjoyed it even more when he gently ran his hands through my hair, massaging my scalp as I brought him to the edge before releasing him from my mouth. I stood up to kiss him and we rocked with each other under the spray, our hands pushing us closer together as we moved. The hot water made his body seem almost warm, yet mine was on fire compared to his. I wanted him inside me again, to cool me down and at the same time spark me once more. I could feel him hard yet gentle, placed between my legs as we moved our hips together. He wasn't in me, but what he was doing was rubbing me just at the right spot. I gasped in air as I pushed harder against him. I couldn't get close enough it seemed. Yup, my body when it came to Eric certainly had a mind of it's own. I couldn't blame it, only smile.

He allowed one more grind before growling and picking me up by my hips once more to slam into the tile wall. It wasn't violent, just sexy as hell. My god was he good. Great. Fantastic. Euphoric high inducing... I might even pass out if I wasn't careful.

Eric suddenly took my head in his free hand - it had been flailing back and forth, I couldn't help it - and focused his eyes on mine. He was doing it again, that crazy, weird, awesome eye connection. I loved it. I didn't expect what happened next. He held my stare for a few more moments, timing it with his thrusts, we were so close, I could only hold on for two or three more it seemed.

_One._.

_Two._..

"I love you Sookie" _Three._.. well, there went my sanity. A strangled cry issued out from my throat as I practically writhed around under the water with him. The orgasm topped the previous night's, and he hadn't even bitten me. I kept my eyes on him though, as he did mine. He was completely sincere and vulnerable in that moment and I saw it all behind those eyes. He was frightened too, scared that I'd reject him again. There was so much emotion in the atmosphere, mixed with our climax that all I could do was stare, awed and weak back at him.

He took my reaction as a positive step in the right direction and smiled at me then. The confident look of a Viking leader back on his face. I summed up enough energy to drag the corners of my mouth up into a grin at him. It was all I had left. And there we stood, for ages it seemed; accepting something that to me, seemed impossible.

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A/N: Woo... good times in the bathroom. Sookie's shower gets so much Eric action, it ain't fair.

This chapter got written just as the cold air of fall was turning bitter and the need for hot-euphoric-humming-sex in your shower was totally needed. Hopefully, y'all enjoyed it. ;-)


	14. Chapter 14: Acceptance?

Something cut into my strange yet blissful moment, dammit. It was a thought. Amelia was broadcasting loudly, and doing it right outside the bathroom door.

_'Could ya not use ALL of the hot water in the parish?_'

"Oh," I said, shaken back to reality by the random thought.

"What?" Eric said, he was confused but surprisingly not annoyed that our little moment had been broken. He was still supporting me up against the tiled wall of the shower.

"Amelia thinks we should save some hot water for the rest of the parish." Eric looked amused for a moment, registering what I had just said and then practically howled with laughter. Yep, it certainly was my favorite sound.

He kept laughing as he set me down on the tub floor, took the soap from it's dish and quickly washed the both of us off with his vampire speed - It was a very strange sensation - before turing off the hot water in less than two minutes. I was stunned. He just grinned back at me. He did it again while toweling me off. It took all of ten seconds for me to be bone dry and my hair to be up in a neatly twisted towel.... again, stunned. He then dried himself off, taking his time and being painstakingly slow as he dragged the towel over ever bit of himself. _Wow._

All I could do was stand there and watch. There was no way I was being modest and looking away while Eric the Great was on display. _He did this on purpose_, I thought. Devious bastard.

The smirk he had on his face, as he bent over one of his legs, allowing his rather fabulous rump to be shown off, proved my assumption. "Eric," I said, "I'm cold."

His head shot up immediately, it was a bit out of concern and a bit out of wanting to see what happens to a naked woman's body when she's cold. And yes, my puppies were saluting. I crossed my arms to silently tell him to stop staring. Behind him lay my robe. I guessed that, that also was planned. Deny Sookie clothing, that's certainly something Eric would do. He slowly reached behind him, not taking his eyes off me the entire time, and grabbed hold of the robe. He then walked over to me and gently placed it round my shoulders, I could only smile up at him. He was being attentive and sweet. I was silently freaked.

He felt it, and chuckled once more before wrapping his own towel around his waste and I was sad to see that glorious butt be covered up. It should be considered a crime to do so.

"Do you have work tonight?" I asked.

"Nope," he responded with a triumphant smile, it made me nervous. "Do you have work?" He asked back.

"Surprisingly, no." I looked down at my feet. "So, I guess we should hash a few things out?"

"You mean discuss the fact that I love you?" Damn, Eric was blunt. I had almost forgotten.

"Yes, that should be part of it..."

"You didn't say it back." He caught me, and he was serious now. His face was set, and I couldn't read an expression in his eyes, nor pick up a feeling through our bond. It made me nervous. My own feelings made me nervous and him being so freakin' frank about the whole thing made me even more edgy. Sweet Jesus.

"No..." I was being tentative, I didn't know what to say, or how to say it. Say anything really.

"You don't love me?" An eyebrow went up.

"No, don't say that! It's not that..." I cut myself off, I was treading on dangerous ground now. Emotional ground that I had to be cautious about. I don't know why. Old habits die hard I guess. Loving Eric is not an easy idea to grasp.

"It's not that?" He repeated my words, his trademark leer appearing back on his face. "So, it's not that you don't love me, you're just scared to admit it?"

I wished that he'd stop using the word "love". I couldn't think him capable of using such a word with someone other than himself. And yet here he was, he had said it more than three times in the past half hour. Eric was always someone who'd make up his mind and go for it. I just never expected me to be the thing he'd 'go for'. He was serious though, no doubt about it. I saw it in his face when he had first told me in the shower, and it scared the crap out of me. He was right. Why was this so hard?

"Come," he said, and picked me up in his arms, carrying me out to the bedroom. He was making a habit of carrying me everywhere. I didn't really like the idea of me just being expected to consent to wherever he wanted to go, but I wasn't complaining either. I just pretended he was my Rhett, and me his Scarlet. If only my house had a grand staircase._ Oh, that'd be fun!_ I shook my head, I had to focus. Eric was expecting three little words from me, and I didn't know if I had it in me to give them. Shit, shit, shit.

---------------

After laying me out on the bed and placing himself next to me, with his elbow propped up on a pillow, he simply stared down at me for a long while. I didn't know what he was searching for in my face, but I was captivated. He still couldn't glamour me, but he could certainly lock eyes with me like no buddy's business. I assumed that whole glamour thing made vampires very adapt at eye contact.

"I don't expect you to say it back," he stated out of thin air. Why, oh why was I still shocked by the things vampires said? I should be used to being surprised by the unexpected by now, right? Wrong.

"Whu-what?" I stuttered. It was impossible to be eloquent around Eric when he was throwing phrases around like, 'I love you' and 'I don't expect you to say it back.' Was he trying to kill me?

"I know you already do." He smiled as he said that and I wanted to slap him. What the hell did he mean? How was he so sure? It seemed like he heard what I was silently thinking because the next second he said, "I knew the moment you spoke of the talisman and how you came to be at my house, I think I knew a little earlier than that, but I didn't register it until you finally explained it all." Oh great, Eric was in one of his honest moods.

"No, Eric, that would mean the talisman loves you, not I," I said sarcastically as I waved a finger at him. He opted to ignore my little jab and grabbed hold of my finger with his mouth. He snapped it closed so fast I thought he was going to bite it clean off, but he just suckled on it while making little humming noises with his eyes closed. It was incredibly erotic, and I don't know why, but it was working for me. I pulled my finger out of his mouth before he could strangely excite me any further. I was still determined to get this out. What 'this' was, I didn't know exactly, but I had to say something.

"Mmm," Eric said, his eyes still closed. I ignored him and continued to work out what I as thinking.

"I was relieved once I realized it was your house Amelia's talisman had sent me to. A first, I was pissed, but I was immediately calm there, and knew I was no longer in danger. That meant a lot at that moment." I decided I couldn't say right out to Eric that I.... loved him - gulp - but I could try to explain my joy at knowing he was my rock, my safety, my go to person. Literally.

With everything that was unstable in my life - most of that everything being my relationship with the supernatural world - Eric was stable. However ironic that may be; he knew what to do, and how to get things done and always seemed to be there for me when I needed him. These were the things I could say, and to me, they were as good as those other silly little words. Eric of course knew this, which infuriated me, but it was empty anger. Still, accepting that and voicing it left me extremely vulnerable. I didn't know if I wanted to be left that exposed again.

"Sookie I can't read what's happening inside that head of yours, but I can feel you and your emotions. I understand, even if you don't want to believe that. The big, bad Viking gets it. I've always thought you were crazy for trusting me, but now that I'm actually asking, you're holding back?"

"It's not that easy Eric."

"I've lived for more than a thousand years Lover, I get the difficulty bit of life." Each syllable dripped with sarcasm. I couldn't help but grin before becoming serious once more.

"Yes, but I haven't. I don't have your experience, or your skill at simply dealing with things. I'm just..."

He cut me off, "I know," He said as he cupped his hand round my face and looked down at me, mind melding with my eyes. He opened his mouth to say something else, but then thought better of it and stopped.

Dammit, the one time I wanted to know what he was thinking and nothing. Blank. Zip.

"Do you want to know why we've been having rather... interesting experiences together?"

Yes. Yes._ Yes!_ "Yes, why do you know?"

"I believe so."

"Then spill buddy! You practically made me orgasm with just a look in front of a witch and two vampires!"

He laughed but explained, "That's part of it. Think of where our strange dejavu connections have been occurring... The first time was in the bathroom. I wasn't going to follow you in there, I was just struck with the need to be with you. Once I entered, I froze, entranced. When you locked eyes with me I almost convulsed."

"Well I certainly did, so why?"

"The memories. My memories of when I was here. They're so sharp now, and with your acceptance being the final piece, they become almost tangible. The other times where out in the living room and here in the bedroom. Both hold immensely significant meaning with me; and with you, I remember them so vividly they reoccur mentally."

"It was rather physical with me," I pointed out sheepishly.

"I noticed that, yes." He smiled down at me, smoldering. How he could smile like a cat who had just gotten inside the fish bowl and still smolder? I knew not.

"So, did you have to send me into spasms in front of company, or could you just not control it?"

Eric turned his eyes up to the ceiling in mock pondering and put a finger to his chin. That was as good as 'yes' to me and slapped his hand. "Oh come on, seriously?"

"I wasn't sure the effect I could project onto you, but after what happened in the bathroom - you did say you wanted me to try it again - I tried, and low and behold, it worked."

"But at that particular moment? Really Eric?"

"Really," he said it with a leer. If I wasn't so comfortable I'd of gotten up off the bed and left. I don't know if he felt that, or if his possessive Vampire nature was kicking in, but he put a hand on my stomach just then, and it worked to keep me from leaving. Not that I was going too, like I've said; with Eric, my body tends to do what it wants.

Though some questions were answered, I didn't feel that we had accomplished anything. I was still being headstrong and Eric, unwavering.

"How about, we just see how this goes?" I said.

"How what goes?"

"This! You staying here, taking car of the bar, me... dealing."

"Accepting," he prompted.

"Y...es. Accepting."

That was all Eric needed to hear. He beamed down at me. I doubt that he was actually proud of me, more of himself for getting me to cave. I made a silent deal with myself. If Eric and I could get through Sam's recovery period without - incident, then maybe this would all work out? I hoped it would, because as scary as it seemed, I think I did actually love Eric. _Sweet Jesus, help me. _

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A/N: Obviously in the Sookie Stackhouse world, Eric and her need to have a good sit down. I really hope that talk happens in book 9 cause its killing me, really. All those unanswered questions. Come on kids! you know you love each other. Oy-vey.

Thanks for reading, and all the fab comments. TXGal gave me such a nice review, I almost got misty eyed. :-)

*blows kisses to everyone*


	15. Chapter 15: Business and Pleasure

The air that night became frigid and I was a little chilly snuggling up against the perfectly chiseled piece of marble that was Eric. He felt this of course, and quickly rearranged the covers so that he was on top of them, with me underneath, while adding an extra throw over the quilts. I frowned slightly, I missed the closeness of our bodies. I was warmer, but I did love to snuggle. Shucks.

That was certainly something to be grateful for. Despite our impasse - with me not wanting to admit I loved Eric because it would leave me vulnerable in ways I knew not, while he, with his over developed ego, insisted that I did, so what was the point - Eric didn't shy away from bodily contact. He enjoyed any form of it, in any manner. Since that night, I wanted to get a good night's sleep and snuggle, that's what we did. He let me sleep, and cuddled with me... Though he did cop a feel once or twice. I didn't mind it, whenever I'd adjust myself I heard slight moans cooing into my ear from behind me. Sharing a bed with Eric proved to be entertaining no matter what happened.

In the past two days our relationship had developed to a point of stability while still leaving me reeling with questions. Things were somewhat sorted and out on the table yet, completely unresolved. And to add insult to injury, if I ever got sick of Eric, I couldn't throw him out. _Thanks Amelia_.

As I slept, these were the dreams that filtered through my brain. They weren't even dreams, but subconscious ponderings that had seeped into my dreams. I hated my brain for them; even at night I couldn't escape my worries.

By morning I woke unrested and cranky. I felt the emptiness in the bed beside me as if I were missing a vital part of my anatomy, and rolled over to breathe in Eric's scent on the pillow, burying my head in it. I almost cried. I missed him, and he was only in the next room. Well, he was sleeping in a cubby hole underneath my house, but still, technically it was the next room.

Today I had the lunch shift, so sleeping in wasn't the best idea. I smelt the coffee drifting in from the kitchen - bless Amelia - and got up to follow it's delicious aroma. When I reached the living room, there was something off with the light. Everything was too bright, there was no way the sun was shinning that strong. I walked over to the windows and looked out. A white blanket of fresh snow covered the ground. I gasped. Louisiana never got much snow, and if it did bother to flurry, it mostly melted before hitting ground. There was a good few inches covering everything._ Including my car probably,_ I thought. Shucks, I'd have to go dig that out. First thing was first; coffee.

The kitchen was even brighter than the living room, the curtains were all pulled back to allow the bright white, reflected light in, and Amelia was sitting at the table beaming.

"Hey! Did you see? It snowed!" She said. Amelia was always a morning person, I never understood it.

"I did! It's... odd, yet very pretty."

"Yes, and yes. Though I do love the way it looks. We never got much snow in New Orleans, being right on the water and all. I guess being farther north... ?"

"No, it doesn't snow here much either. This is very rare. The sun is beating down out there and I don't see one drip coming from the roof. It must be freezing out." I shook my head from side to side while looking out the back window, "I'm dreading cleaning off my car."

"Oh Tray already did that." Amelia said off handedly as she blew on a cup of her hot tea.

"Excuse me?" I said and Amelia looked up at me with a somewhat guilty gleam in her eye. Tray had apparently stayed over, and it was fabulous. _Really fabulous._ Wow, in fact I was getting way too much information from Amelia's brain on the fabulousness of it. If I were in the next state over I'd of probably heard what she was broadcasting, Jesus.

"Okay, okay, I get it! Good for you hun." I couldn't blame her for letting him stay over. Not when Eric and I had been reenacting the circumstances of The Big Bang in my bedroom and bathroom for the past two days.

"Oh, am I broadcasting loudly?" Amelia asked with an innocent look on her face.

"Slightly." I put my hand on my hips as if to scold her but then said, "but wow! Is Tray really that..."

She cut me off, "Yes, he really is." _Well damn_. It's always the quiet ones.

"Thank him when he wakes would you? I'm gonna go clean up. Thanks for the coffee hun," and with that I left the kitchen. Amelia's good mood was casting a positive vibe around the house, I could sense it. My cranky state had absolved itself, and I got ready for work with a smile on my face. I assessed that if people just had amazing sex all the time, the world's problems would be significantly less. _Someone should work on that_, I thought as I tightened my pony tail.

When I went out to warm my car up before leaving for work I gasped again. Tray had made a pathway from my back porch to my car and had cleared off the entire driveway. '_When did he have time to do all this?_' I asked internally. He must of gotten up with the sun and scooped it all away before passing out again. He even found rock salt and sprinkled it, making sure that ice wouldn't form. I'd have to thank him later, this was above and beyond the call of duty in my mind. Or he was just trying to stay on Amelia's good side. Amazing sex really did wonders for people's morale.

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I stopped by Sam's trailer before heading in to the bar. I left extra time specifically to talk to him. I hadn't seen him since the bar was attacked, and even though everyone I knew was telling me he'd be okay, I still wanted the piece of mind of seeing him for myself and knowing for sure. When I walked in after knocking I saw for myself; my friends were big fat liars.

His face was ashen colored it was so pale and he looked smaller than usual. Weak. The couch he was lying on seemed to over take him, and the quilt he had on, he almost vanished under. I'd never seen Sam look that vulnerable. Even when he had broken his leg he still had an air of confidence about him. Nothing could get him down. Now he looked completely spent. _Shifters heel faster my ass!_ I thought. If this is how a shifter looked after a few days, imagine a human! How bad had he been? I didn't dare look at his hands as I crossed the room quickly, to get to him. He looked up and smiled at me; that did it. I lost it, and fell to the floor at his feet.

"Sam! I'm so sorry Sam! I shouldn't of left. I didn't think it would work, I panicked! I never should of left you...." I rambled on nonsensically in between sobs for about two more seconds before Sam put a warm bandaged hand on my shoulder and stopped me. I really shouldn't being going to pieces anyway. I wasn't the one who had been mauled by religious fanatics. I was fine. I'd gotten out. Selfish ol' me. Dammit.

"Sookie, it's okay. I really look worse off than I am." What is it with men wanting you to think that things are really less than they are? It was infuriating.

"Sam! If you could see yourself!" I cried.

"Ha, I'm that handsome, huh?"

"Oh you know what I mean. I'm sorry Sam. I don't know what else to say, I'm sorry."

"It's'kay cher," he was closing his eyes a bit. He did look downright catatonic.

"I'll let you be Sam, I just wanted to stop by to see you. I'll bring some food by tomorrow, and I'll clean up a bit. Your place is a little stuffy, but at least the heats working, its downright frigid out."

"Thanks Sookie." He perked up then, "Oh hey, I just wanted to update you. Terry has been opening the bar and doing okay with working the day shifts. He's getting real good with it. Last night Tray Dawson and Hoyt were here to help out, but tonight is the first night Eric's gonna be working the place, so you make sure he doesn't do anything drastic like change the bar into a burlesque hall."

"That'd be fun!" I said sarcastically and Sam winced. "I know, I know, I'll keep him in check." I said patting his head, which felt kind of ironic.

"Is he.... Sookie are you two... ?" I knew Sam would ask something along those lines. Shifters had keener senses and I was dreading that he'd smell Eric a bit, even though I scrubbed every inch of me in the shower ten times over. No doubt Eric's scent would be on my jacket. Knowing Eric, he probably rubbed himself all over all my underthings too.

"I don't know what we are Sam, but we're certainly something." I looked at him hard. I expected him to get all high and mighty but he just looked pensive.

Sam finally made a face at my admitting it. He probably thought that I would deny everything. He shifted - rather painfully it looked like - on the couch and then said, "As long as your happy Sookie, I know I can't tell you what to do, you'd kick my ass," he smiled at that, trying to lighten the mood before saying, "But know this; I'll stake the bastard the first time I see one tear in your eye caused by him." He was dead serious. I gave him a stern look. I didn't know what to say to that so I got up to leave.

"Take care of yourself Sam. I'm bringing you something great to eat tomorrow. And don't worry 'bout the bar, I'm on it." I gave him a 100 watt smile and a kiss on the cheek, before turning on my heel and heading out to the door.

I had to wipe away a few more tears in Sam's office before straightening my apron and taking my first costumer. Being in there, knowing Sam wouldn't be, seemed so alien to me. I didn't like it. This was also my first time back in Merlotte's since the attack, I realized. My nerves were getting to me, but I knew that within a few hours Eric would be close and he'd calm me. That kept me going. I let my smile spread across my face and walked out to the main floor determined to earn some good tips.

As expected, Arlene wasn't there. I figured as much and was openly happy that she hadn't bothered to show her face - even if it was for an apology. She had become an avid supporter of the Fellowship, and if she were in the bar, I don't know what I would of done. Probably drop kick her... Maybe pull her badly dyed hair out? Our friendship had long been over, and our working relationship was almost non-existant. Because of this, I was extra happy to see Holly, in fact I gave her a hug. It caught her off guard but she didn't cringe away from me or anything.

"Hey... Sookie," she said tentatively. She was wondering why I had come back so soon, and if I was in a state of stable mental health. I giggled at the thought, which made her worry more.

"Don't worry Holly, I'm good. I'm not perfect, but I'm okay, and I can certainly pull a few shifts outta the hat. I might even stay till closing if we get real busy."

"Alright, but if you need a break or anything, you just hollar, I'll take your tables. Plus, Danielle will be here later." She said, staring me directly in the eye, still assessing my sanity.

"Oh! So will Eric! Good, she'll get to meet him." I was being overly perky. Nervous habit. I didn't mean to sound like I had sucked a helium ballon though, so I toned it down. "I'm assuming Sam or Terry told you?"

"Yes, I heard bout that. Hoyt explained last night that he'd be taking over the bar for a bit. I'm not gonna lie, Vamps make me nervous Sookie. I don't like it."

"He'll be in the back most of the night, I'm gonna see if he can balance Sam's books."

"I don't just mean tonight. I'm just plain nervous. We're already a target cause of Sa..." She cut herself off, but I heard the rest of what she was thinking. I was angry, but couldn't blame her. She was a mom, and her little boy came first. That was her main worry.

"It'll be safer here _with_ Eric," I assured her. "He knows what he's doing."

And with that our first customer came in. The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur of beer and burger baskets. I was happy to see that despite the Weres and the shifters "outting" themselves, Sam's bar was still doing good business. Most of the costumers that came in expressed their sympathies to us waitresses and to Terry, telling us all to say hi to Sam, and that he was in their prayers. I was bowled over. It was at the lowest points, that you found out people really did care for each other. Like when my house had partially burnt, the outpouring of love and sympathy was overwhelming. Now, the town was proving again that it took care of it's own, this time with Sam. If it weren't for religious fanatics, the world would be okay, or maybe they all were just sex deprived? As I was contemplating that, as if on cue my libido started doing an inner happy dance. My entire body relaxed and I was instantly horny, I hated to admit it. _Oh dear_, that wasn't me, that was Eric. He was here, in Sam's office and he was feeling frisky.

"Sookie?" Terry called. He was looking above the patrons heads searching the crowd for me. I hadn't realized the time. It was 8:30PM. Damn, did time fly. I rushed over before Terry could get anymore frazzled. He didn't like crowds and preferred staying behind the bar. He thought of it as a buffer, keeping 'them' away.

"Hey Terry, what's up?" As If I didn't already know.

"Eric is asking for you, he's in Sam's office. Oh, and I'm heading out now, he's gonna tend the bar tonight." I almost choked. I didn't want to upset Terry though, so I just nodded, gave him a pat on the shoulder and quick smile before dashing off to the office.

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"You're tending bar? Eric, you don't tend bar!" Why was I angry? Maybe cause this allowed Eric to watch my every move and that both excited the hell out of me, and at the same time made me freakishly nervous. I'd be so worked up, I'd be spilling and dropping things left and right. This was so not good.

He didn't look up from the papers he was sorting, "Well, I couldn't have left the Vet stay and do it. A few more irritating costumers and he'd start slashing at them with an imaginary machete."

"That's not funny Eric, Terry has been doing fine all day," I had to defend him. Terry really was making progress, and I was real proud with how he had been handling the bar by himself. I only started to see him fray around the edges within the last half hour.

"He asked if he could be relieved of duty, and I allowed it. He was very polite, and said that he simply wanted to get off his feet after a couple of long hard days. It was perfectly reasonable." He was still sorting and then added, "My, my, my, I do have my work cut out for me."

With that he looked up at me, underneath his lashes; a wicked grin spreading across his white face. My body had a visceral reaction and I lunged forward involuntarily. Eric caught me before I could blink and held me with one hand behind my neck, the other at the lower curve of my back. This made for my body to be perfectly dipped backward, allowing him to lean forward into me. I expected him to kiss me, welcomed it in fact, but he just held fast a few inches from my mouth.

"I'm going to have fun working with you," he barely whispered before standing me up straight and moving back behind the desk. My mouth was open, still in expectation of a kiss that would never come. I was furious. Was he serious?

"I'll be out in a flash," he said as he finished up with one last pile of receipts. "Wouldn't want the customers to not get what they're looking for." He was looking down again, but I saw the smile playing on his lips. _Bastard!_

I had literally, been dismissed.

Well, two could play at that game. I straightened my apron, turned on my heel and walked right out of the office with nothing as much as a grunt. If Eric wanted to keep business and pleasure separate, (for the first time in his entire long life!) That was fine with me.

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A/N: Come on, it's Eric and Sookie! What'd you think it was gonna be all rainbows and unicorns? lol


	16. Chapter 16: Don't change the Subject

A/N: Edit! This chapter was a jumble before. I fixed it now.

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The next two hours were... interesting. I gave Eric the cold shoulder - which was slightly ironic - while he gave me the death stare, which was quite literal. My chilly disposition didn't make for good waitressing behavior and my tips suffered. However, everyone was morbidly fascinated with Eric, so his tip jar overflowed. _Dammit._ He was incredibly skilled at tending bar. I'd never seen him lift a finger at Fangatasia, (other than to summon me), but here he was, putting those mixologists on the Travel channel to shame. He actually got the crowd to woop and clap a few times. Since the throng was three bodies deep, I didn't see what he was doing with his hands that dazzled them. I just stalked by with my burgers and fries, miffed.

Holly, despite her apprehension earlier was getting a kick out of it. She would look back and forth between us like we were apart of a lethal tennis match, and giggle every so often. I didn't find it funny. I suppose this was Eric in 'work mode', never my favorite side of Eric. He of course, was loving every minute. He charmed the customers with just enough flair for them not to be petrified of him, and then would throw in a twirling bottle of vodka or two, to completely win them over. He barely needed to speak, just move his hands at his vamp speed, filling drink orders with gusto.

We were unusually busy. I suppose it was from those few days of the bar being closed. The town was just that desperate for a place to drink. Maybe it was the stress of the holidays, driving the masses to the bottle? I was never much of a drinker. I didn't get it.

When things finally did slow, it was about a half hour past our normal closing time. Eric had kept things running smoothly at the bar and seemed perfectly content being behind it. He hadn't even taken a break. Holly however was getting antsy, I 'heard' her thinking how much she wanted to get home to her boys. Both Hoyt and her son. I agreed, I was beat. There was one problem here, I knew that Holly wanted me to go ask Eric to call last round, but that of course meant that I had to swallow my pride and talk to the bastard.

So for the first time since our little talk that evening, I dared to make eye contact with Eric. It was a stupid decision.  

 I looked up with a tray of empty glasses in my hand, getting ready to take them to the kitchen, and tried to get Eric's attention behind the bar. Of course, the second I decided this, he somehow knew what I was doing and shot a glance in my direction. The next thought that ran through my head was, _'shit_'. Our eyes locked and he sent an electric shock through me so powerful that my knees buckled and the empty glasses went flying as my arms flung out of their own accord. Droplets of beer and scotch went with them and a series of gasps issued out from the late night patrons.

  Eric was quick as lightning and grabbed every last glass, stacked them, placed them on a nearby table, and caught me from hitting my jaw on the back of a chair, within in two seconds. I had totally underestimated vampire speed. _Wow_. Everyone clapped, including Holly and the kitchen boys. Eric didn't even bother to acknowledge it.  

 He scooped me up firmly and deliberately. Apparently he wasn't too keen on our bodies being that far apart for that long. I knew this from the mixture of worry in his eye and the regretful feelings he was emitting through our bond. The wind had completely been taken out of my sails. _What the hell was I supposed to tell him again? Why was I angry?  _ 

"Last Call!" Eric shouted, while never taking his eyes off of me. Our little mind meld had apparently gotten him to realize that he was working with humans. He had switched from 'work mode' to 'protective/possesive mode.' For the moment, I wasn't about to care, though the cynical side of me was wondering if he was just hamming it up for the 'wow factor' it brought him? As if his mystique and reputation couldn't become more legendary in one night.   

The patrons in the bar grumbled and slowly got up from their stools, fishing in their back pockets for wallets and change. Everyone wanted to know more about what was going on between the two of us. I wanted them all to shut up. Holly was just giddy. Running around, gathering up last minute bills and collecting tips. Telling the bus boys to clean up everything, and fast! She wanted to get home, stat. So did I, but for a different reason. I was feeling warm all over, and it wasn't coming from the radiator.   

I mentally slapped myself and reminded myself why I hadn't spoken to Eric for the past 8 hours. He had been an ass hole! _Remember?_ I asked internally. I did. That was a problem. He couldn't actually expect to be able to treat me like that forever. I refused to allow that kind of behavior to become a pattern. So, I did what any girl would do; I fainted.  

 Not really, just pretend. I wanted to deal with Eric privately, and fast. Fainting seemed like the quickest way to get his ass in gear. It worked like a charm. I simply went slack in his arms and steadied my breathing as best I could. I instantly felt the concern he had and knew my trick worked. I focused on keeping my emotions neutral. There were more gasps around me and a flurry of motion. Eric quickly gave the extra set of keys to Holly and told her to lock up. Within two minutes we were in Eric's car (I assumed since my eyes were closed) and speeding like a banshee down the road.   

"You can open your eyes now Ingrid." Eric's cool sarcastic voice said above my ear. I jumped.   

"Shit! You knew I was faking?" Eric's laughter filled the car as he nodded his head in response. Dammit, I couldn't get anything past him. "Ingrid?" I inquired.   

"Bergman. A famous and beautiful Swedish actress. In "Notorious", a film I'm sure you know, she faints and Cary Grant carries her ou..." I cut him off.   

"I know what happens in Notorious." I said, exasperated. "I've seen it about a hundred times."   

"I figured."  

 "Why do you know it?"   

"Oh, I knew Ingrid." He said with a sly smile.   

Well, that shut me up. I loved Ingrid Bergman, and every film she ever made! _Hello_, Casablanca! Despite his cockiness, Eric never did cease to amaze. I didn't dare ask, how _well_ he knew her. Watching "Gaslight" would never be the same again.  

 "Why the act back at the bar? Were you that desperate to get back in bed with me?"   

"You wish bucko!" I folded me arms in a huff. "That reminds me, I'm not speaking with you." Eric didn't respond, he simply raised an eyebrow in my general direction.   

"You... just dismissed me! Like that!" I snapped my figures to give him a visual clue. "You don't do that to people! Especially not me!" Well, so much for me not talking, but I was pissed.   

"We needed to get to work Sookie, and I assume your boss wouldn't be happy if I fucked you on ever surface of his office?" Rhetorical questions were a big part of Eric's forte. He had hit me with the blunt stick. He certainly had a way with words, didn't he?  

 "Eric, if you want to be with me, be with me! But don't expect to treat me like one of your fangbanger waitresses at Fangtasia! I am a Lady, dammit!"  

 "So you want me to be with you?" he retorted.  

 "Don't change the subject, we're arguing!"   

"Yes, but I'm offering a new question into the debate. Do you want me to be with you?"  

 "Eric!" I had no response really. I just wanted to stay angry. That was easy. Anger was a simple emotion. "We already discussed this."   

"Yes, but not in so many words. And you were being indecisive." He said this while smiling. He was getting excited. I hadn't noticed, but we were parked in my driveway.   

"How long have we been here?" I asked, looking around stunned.  

 "Three minutes, but don't change the subject. We're arguing." He repeated my words with the calmest of tones and a smile, despite their meaning. I wanted to slap him. I knew fighting a vampire was stupid, so I removed myself from temptation. In this case meaning, I got out of the car and slammed the door. Eric was faster than I, and had me up against that same door before I could say 'Burboun'.  

 He had his hands on either side of my head, placed on the top of car, and he pressed his lower abdomen into mine with just the right amount of force. It was intimidating but the pressure was not unwelcome. I opened my mouth to argue and he simply moved his hips downwards and back up again once, as he stared down at me. That shut me up right quick. All that came out of my mouth was a little "ah" sound.   

"Sookie," he said, as he started in on a very, very, slow rhythm with his hips. _Dear Lord!_ "I will never disrespect you again." Grind. "In fact, anyone who does disrespect you will have to deal with me," grind, "personaly." That last word came out as a growl and he paired it with another very slow hip movement. My neck craned back, and I saw my breathe hit the cold air and mist in front of me. I knew better than to loose eye contact with Eric for long, and focused back on him.

"Accept me Sookie," he said.   

I bowed my head and thought hard. All I wanted to do was give in and stop fighting. "I promised myself," I said in a small voice, "that if we got through this period of Sam's recovery without incident, I would." Eric's face lit up with realization. "Help me get us through this, and I will." I stated more definitely.   

"Us," he said, "I like the sound of that," and picked me up. My legs instinctively wrapped themselves around his waist. It was a very natural position for them. He walked us up to the house and in the back door as I buried my head into his neck, nuzzling.

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A/N: *sigh* Good times. Don't we all want an Eric to have arguments with? Because after the argument, you get to make up. ;-)


	17. Chapter 17: An Unexpected Visitor

A/N: Y'all get two chapters today, because I love y'all that much.

And plus, this chapter was already written. Enjoy it!

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"Ehem," we both heard the slight cough as we walked into the kitchen. (Well, Eric walked, I clung.) I froze, not wanting to move, and Eric growled. It was a terrifying sound compared to the previous growl he emitted before that had sparked a visceral reaction in me.

"Who let you in?" Eric seethed. I assumed at that point that it was a vampire in my kitchen, and that made me want to stay buried in Eric's hair even more. I breathed in his scent to try and steady my nerves. Eric was freaking out internally, and it was getting to me, since we were so intertwined. I was absorbing his hate right from the source.

The vampire answered, "The older one. I said I was a friend of Sookie's and well, that worked like a charm." I knew that voice. Why the hell was Victor here?

Eric made no movement to release me and I was fine with that. I dared to turn my head and look at the vampire sitting at my kitchen table with his feet up on the chair next to him. I didn't know why he was here. Whether it was out of malice or just to deliver a message, but Eric certainly wasn't happy.

"Hello Victor, what can we do for you?" I asked as calmly as possible. Eric instinctively tightened his arms around me.

"Oh you know, I just dropped by to say Hi to my two best buds!" His response dripped with sarcasm. I wondered if he wasn't taking a cue from Pam.

"Cut the shit Victor, why are you here?" Eric said. He had regained his exterior cool, but was still pretty keyed up on the inside.

"Remember when you said that you'd take over some of the King's responsibilities?" He asked with a smile that any lawyer would be proud to perfect.

"Yes?" Eric prompted rather reluctantly. The other shoe was about to drop, we both sensed it.

"Well, a... responsibility has risen. Your specific talents are needed."

This of course, did not bode well for Eric's mood, which had already deteriorated from lust to loathing. I felt his emotions flare, however his face stayed cool, his eyes, ice. I stayed quit. It seemed the safest option for my mortal self.

"It would be better if Sookie were not present when such things were discussed. If the King is requesting my... talents, then it must be of dire importance. Sookie," he looked down at me, "this is for your own safety, you understand?" Well no, I didn't, but I wasn't about to argue with two very edgy vamps in my kitchen. I crawled down from my perch on Eric's hips and tip toed out of the kitchen for added sarcastic effect. I caught Eric rolling his eyes at me before I closed the door behind me. I gave him a wink. I must of been loopy from too much emotional stress, there was nothing to be happy about with this situation. I wanted Victor out of my kitchen and Eric in my bed. Neither of those wants would be happening anytime soon. Pity.

I sat on the sofa for two minutes, pondering Lord knows what the two vamps were discussing in my kitchen. Even though my Gran would have slapped me, I craned my neck trying to hear, but alas not one word seeped into my range. Damn vamps, they could hold completely silent conversations if they wanted. Luckily I didn't have to struggle in vain long, Eric stalked out of the kitchen a moment later with an unreadable expression. He stood, backlit by the light of the kitchen and I marveled again at his size in my house. He was too tall for the old place, but he fit perfectly. I smiled at him weakly, I was tired, and bad news was in my future. I knew it.

"Victor has gone, please rescind his invitation permanently. That way Octavia or Amelia won't be able to allow him entry. If I have to deal with seeing him in your kitchen again, heads will roll." He paused before adding, "and I don't mean that metaphorically, I'm dead serious."

I giggled. 'Dead' serious, yes he was. At that point I was certain I was too tired to deal with anything. Eric picked up on my rather altered state and scooped me up before I could say another thing.

"Come," he said, "let us snuggle." He had a devilish look to his eye, and I couldn't help but take it in and enjoy it. Sometimes his devious nature was extremely diverting in a great way.

"I'm not gonna get to hear about why your 'talents' are needed, am I?"

"I'm afraid not, I can't tell you."

I sighed loudly and Eric chuckled. I silently debated if this fell into the 'incident' category, and if so, did that mean that my promise to myself had been broken? Was this a sign? I decided after a beat, that since nothing had actually happened, this was just another little hick-up, nothing big to worry about. When Eric's anger suddenly spiked again, that _was_ something to worry about. I looked away from his face through my bedroom door. There in the dark, rocking back and forth in the corner chair was Victor. The bastard hadn't left? This was definitely and _'Oh no he didn't_' moment.

The shock had woken me up and before Eric could even growl I spat out, "Victor! There is only one man allowed to surprise me in my bedroom and I am in his arms right now. Get the hell out of my house!" I pointed out, back down the hall. Victor, rather shocked by the force that overcame him, rose and reluctantly stalked out of the bedroom, right down the hall, through the living room and out the front door without a single word.

"Well damn, that worked like a charm." I said surprised. I didn't say much else, Eric planted a kiss on me so passionately that I thought for sure I was going to loose my sanity. I had to keep from giggling it was so overwhelming. God, I loved the way he kissed.

"It's the magic on the house, you hold the last word when it comes to the beings under it's protections." Eric stated, very certain of himself, as he pulled away allowing me to breathe. He was slightly mistaken however, I could never get him to leave if I wanted. Oh well, I didn't want. Eric had a dangerous look in his eye and a smile at his lips. I practically squirmed under his gaze. "I love you for saying that I'm the only man allowed to surprise you in your bedroom," he waggled his eyebrows at me, "and I'm going to prove it right now."

I readied myself to stare into his eyes for the next hour, or two, or three, but Eric surprised me. "Close your eyes," he said. I thought I hadn't heard him right at first. Eye contact with Eric was like catnip. I was utterly confused, and slightly nervous, but I begrudgingly closed my eyes and let Eric place me down on the bedroom floor.

Nothing happened for two questionable moments and then Eric said, as if from a far off place, "Take off your clothes." I moved to speak and almost opened my eyes but immediately felt a hand brush past my lips to quiet me. I hadn't known where it came from, Eric hadn't sounded that close.

My nerves were a bit more on edge now, but they were only self conscious ones. Eric was near, at least I thought he was, and I was safe in my bedroom, so their wasn't much to worry about. Other than what Eric was planning. It was exciting, but I was a little freaked. Still, I heeled off my shoes and took off my two shirts. I then unbuttoned the top of my jeans, and tried to get out of them as gracefully as anyone could get out of a pair of tight jeans. (They were a size too small, but made my ass look great.) Eric didn't need to tell me not to rush things, I was assuming he was watching with keen interest.

After the two main components of my outfit were discarded I paused waiting for a signal of some kind, but didn't get one. I felt a twinge of lust and knew it wasn't coming from me. I looked down with an impish smile, I was still a little surprised how much I could turn Eric on. It boosted my confidence a bit. I dragged my hand up my side to the front clip of my bra and undid it. I didn't let go however, Eric was going to have to say something if he wanted to see the girls. Another breeze blew past me and with it a hand flowed across my lower abdomen, leaving electric sparks in it's wake, while another slipped my bra off for me. I didn't even realize it was happening until I felt the cold and instinctively drew my arms up to shield myself.

The breeze came again, and this time I breathed in Eric's scent as he flew past, his hair brushing along my skin, making it tingle and his hands seemingly caressing everywhere at once. He must have been floating around my room, twirling around me in some kind of strange breezy foreplay. He came by again and gently brew breathe along my hip bones, making my legs quiver and knees almost give out. The next time it was past my collar bone while a hand simultaneously teased in between my legs. I was feeling so many sensations at once I didn't know where to shiver first. I desperately wanted to lie down, and moved toward the bed but was stopped.

"No," Eric said.

"Eric, I'm cold and I want to be under the covers."

"I'm not done showing you my appreciation."

"I'm the one who's been doing the strip tease! You won't even let me open my eyes!" I whined.

"Stimulation is sometimes hightened when another sense is deprived." He said huskily, while sliding his hand between my legs again to prove his point. I didn't have a wall to push back on this time, so I simple moved my hips into his hand. He chuckled softly. Yes, I was eager, but really, once I was this close to naked, there was no point in playing hard to get in my book.

The next thing I knew I was no longer standing on the floor. I was elevated, and being held aloft by only a hand on my hip and one hand was, well... you know where. (Eric had taken the liberty of removing my panties I noticed a little late in the game.) My eyes shot open, I was floating in my bedroom. Thank god we had high ceilings.

"Put me down!" I squirmed, but it only made Eric more excited, he wasted no time and before I could shout again he had slid into me and all that came out of my mouth was an "ahuhh." It wasn't a very ladylike sound, but I was taken by surprised, I couldn't help it.

I hadn't even realized that Eric had undressed. Then I thought twice, how could I, my eyes had been closed. I looked down at Eric, shocked and amazed. He was staring back with an immense look of satisfaction and heat. He was raring to go and I had no time to ponder the bizarreness of the situation I found myself in. He started to move and move fast. I was too scared to do anything so I focused on his blue eyes, trying to stay calm.

"I have you Sookie," he breathed. "Close your eyes again, take in the feeling." I did as he said; he was sending calming vibes into me, among other things. The mixture of the lust, calm and a fabulously skilled Viking did wonders for my nerves. I craned my neck backwards and let my back arch. I didn't want to let go of Eric but I did embrace the feeling of movement between us with nothing underneath. This must of been what it would be like to make love in water, except without the added pressure. I also didn't feel my weight, Eric was holding me as if I weighed no more than a feather. His hands were strong and reassuring, while his thrusts were deep and powerful. Our hip movements worked me in just the right spot while Eric drove to find the place that would elicit the most pleasure from me. Two more thrusts and he had found it. I cried out my back completely arched. I didn't stay like that for long, I brought myself back up, wrapped my arms around Eric's neck, tangling my hands in his hair, and bored my eyes into his. I wanted to feel the humming, and so did he. I wanted the electricity to spark, and it seemed to only happen if we completely connected both physically and emotionally.

My breathing was husky and even Eric was panting. I loved the sound, it was the sound of an incredibly sexy man working to please me while enjoying himself immensely at the same time. The electricity was sparking behind his eyes, and the air was becoming heavy as if we were actually underneath water. The humming and shivering of the atmosphere was embracing us and it became hard to breathe, though it only made the sensations more intense.

Eric once again timed his orgasm with mine, I didn't know how we were so in sync but we were, and he finished with another ''I love you.'' This time he breathed it into my mouth as I kissed him, trying to keep myself from screaming out of lust. The explosion rocketed around the room like a bullet ricocheting through a metal space and came back to hit us multiple times. Eric stayed in me, each extra spasm feeling better than the last.

When I came to coherence we were laying on the bed, under the covers. Eric had curled me up inside the curve of his body. His body was so long and yet we fit perfectly. I turned round, wanting to nuzzle into his chest, and intertwine my legs with his. He purred as I did so, and I hummed back.

"I love you too," I said softly, as I played with a strand of his hair. His body went rigid and he pulled my chin up with his hand to see my eyes.

"You've finally noticed?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

He was being silly, but I wasn't. "No, I finally accepted it." I looked at him hard to reassure him that I wasn't teasing.

"It's about time," he said and then kissed me to shut me up. I allowed it; post coital gooey love talk was never my forte. Cuddling was.

So we laid there, content and sated. I wouldn't dare say it out loud, but I certainly thought it.... we were happy.

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A/N: Yeah, I got a little corny on y'all there. But you enjoyed it, you know it. ;-)


	18. Chapter 18: Bonded

A/N: I remember writing this back in the day. It came out of nowhere at like, 2 in the morning... so for all you lovely reviewers saying "thanks for the ESN," here's some more.

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When I woke later that night Eric was lying still next to me and was almost warm from our bodies being in such close contact for so long. I rolled to look at his face, and my movement roused him. He had his eyes focused on mine before I could even find him in the dark.

"Eric..." I started.

"More sex already? Really woman..." I cut him off before he could move his hand any lower than it already was on my stomach.

"No, no. I was just wondering," I paused, I didn't know how to ask, "why you haven't.... feed on me the past two times we've slept together?"

He stared down at me for a minute, compiling his answer I supposed. "I didn't want to leave you weak."

That surprised me, "Oh Eric, you know perfectly well that the amount you take won't weaken me." I felt bad for him. I did. The big bad Viking; I felt bad that he hadn't gotten his meal. I couldn't help it, hospitality was ingrained into the Southern psyche.

"No, not really, but I want you to have all your strength regardless, because I know you won't let me give you my blood." His face was as serious as stone and yet I could feel through our connection, and our intertwined bodies, that he was being devious. Reverse psychology. That made me angry. I had literally just told him I had loved him and he was still trying to pull this shit?

"Eric, do not try and handle me! I don't know why you're suddenly worried about my strength, but if you want me to be as powerful as wonder woman you don't have to become a Machiavelian to talk me into it!"

Eric smiled down at me. _Dammit_. Did he purposely want me pissed so I'd yell at him? Did he purposely send out a devious vibe so I'd think he was being cunning when in fact he wasn't, but was? I just told him exactly what he wanted to hear. I was dumber than I thought.

Eric didn't wait for me to get any more angry with myself, he slid down the bed a bit and bent his head down over my body. I felt the sweep of his hair one second and I gasped for breath the next. He had taken my right breast into his mouth and was massaging it with his tongue. I didn't expect the coolness of his mouth and arched my back into him involuntarily. My hands gripped the sheets and my head tossed on the pillow. I felt like giggling and, yet moaning at the same time.

Eric positioned himself on top of me and I welcomed the pressure of his body. The weight of it. It was heavy, but it felt right. He was ready again (of course) and pressed himself onto me, but didn't enter. He did however move his bum up and down every so slightly, working me in a delightful way as he continued to massage my breast with his tongue. I felt him bite down but was too worked up at that point to acknowledge the pain. There was none, just a pulling of blood that felt incredibly like an orgasmic release. I played with his hair as he took little sips and then licked the puncture marks.

His eyes shot up at me, intoxicated with heavy lids. That did nothing to diminish the intensity of the stare, it rocketed through me like before, and showed me the memory of the first time I'd had his blood. The bullet wound, I had to suck it out. Eric thought of it as a pivotal moment in our relationship. I thought of it - at the time - as a strange way to try and win a girl over. In the long run, I guess it had worked.

Eric sat up quickly, at vampire speed and rearranged our bodies before I could even take a breath. He leaned his back against the head board with his legs splayed and held me aloft with my back to him. My hips were right above his and he shot a feeling of urgency through to me, instinctively telling me what to do. I took my hand and guided him to my opening and he sat me down slowly on top of him. From this angle and with the help of gravity, I had to take him all at once and a strangled moan issued from my throat at the shock of it. Eric's hands stayed at my hips as he worked me up and down at his own speed. I really didn't need to do anything except hold on for the ride. I had no place for my hands and so I ran them through my hair, looking up at my ceiling overwhelmed. Eric started to move my hips almost in a circular motion, which apparently was a turn on for him. The noises he was making behind me filled my head and made it hard to focus on not passing out from too much stimulation.

Just as the speed of Eric's movement was going to reach critical mass, he pulled me back to him as he sat up and embraced me with the kind of urgency that comes only during sex. I felt his mouth on my neck and moaned with the sensation of him nibbling playfully, yet with utter skill. In a flash he had removed one of his hands from my hips, it shot behind me out of my view. I heard a small tare and then his wrist was in front of me again, dripping with blood. Eric had calmed us to a rocking movement that was both incredibly pleasurable and yet, painfully slow. I knew what to do with the bleeding wrist and without even hesitation clamped down on it, taking in his blood; and as a happy side effect, his hardness swelled inside of me. _Hello!_

Eric growled behind me, a greedy, wanting sound and I felt his teeth again on my throat. I didn't need his hands to move me any longer, my body had taken up it's own mission and I was even surprised with its eagerness. After about three pulls from his wrist Eric made both an exasperated and pleasured sound and before I could even blink had switch our position. I was suddenly facing towards him as he pressed me closer to his body, his icy eyes piercing into mine. There was blood on my lips I was sure of it, and Eric devoured me with his gaze before doing the same to my mouth with his own. He was practically high his state was so altered. He took my head in his hands and bent it down towards his chest, and I again didn't need instruction. I bit down, hard, and sucked the blood into me with as much force as I could. Eric was starting to convulse beneath me and I knew his climax was coming. I took pleasure in the power it brought me, being able to make him squirm. I pulled harder, taking more blood in and felt him respond. It was an addictive feeling and repeated it three more times before Eric practically exploded inside of me. His head flew back and roared, and I released my mouth from his chest to look up and see the lust in his eyes. He stared down at me, awed and almost smiling, kissing me with practically too much force for me to handle, but the vampire blood coursing through my veins made me reciprocate with equal measure. Our lips would be surely bruised tomorrow.

I expected it to end there, fabulous even in it's incompletion, but Eric knew I hadn't finished and pushed my back down onto the bed as he fell on top of me. His hair flew around his practically giddy face, as we bounced with the spring of mattress. I reached up and grabbed on to his back for dear life as my legs locked around his waist. He was miraculously harder than he had been before and didn't stop moving until I screamed his name, something he enjoyed hearing immensely, and thanked me for it by giving me two or three extra thrusts as my orgasm surged, making me come multiple times. (My house mates on the other hand probably didn't enjoy my screaming as much, at 4 in the morning. Too bad, it wasn't their house.)

With a final jerk of hips we both fell limp. Utterly spent and euphoric from each other's blood. There seemed to be a dim light in my darkened room and I looked down at Eric to see if it was him. To my astonishment, it was us! An aura of light blue light was glowing around our skin, connected together as we were, like an outline around our joined bodies. It freaked me out and I buried my head into Eric's shoulder and heard him chuckle at me, as if hiding would make it go away.

"We're bonded Sookie, things like this will happen," he spoke softly in my ear.

"Giving off radioactive blue light is a side effect of bonding!?" I frantically whispered. It sounded more like a shrill cat than a whisper.

"You glow after having vampire blood Sookie, you knew that," he tried to reassure me.

"Not like this!"

"No, this is special. It's because of our bodies particular chemistry that this happens." He was smiling, I could tell by his voice.

"You knew this would happen!? What else? What else do I have to look forward to!?" I said sarcastically.

He didn't answer, he simply rocked me back and forth and gently "shushed" me to a state of calm. My questions remained unanswered, but my want for a caring man had been taken care of. I could feel that he cared for me. Practically heard it in his mind. _Oh god, no, please tell me I wasn't hearing his mind,_ I thought. I strained and didn't pick up anything and then relaxed once more. I just appeared to be extremely in tune with his emotions and state of mind, not exactly his thought process. I could even sense him in my brain, pulsing, as if he still had a heart beat.

He didn't, but what he did have was something to tell me. "What is it?" I asked.

He stiffened slightly, surprised by my intuition, but then relaxed as he accepted it and spoke, "I have to leave the state for a few days."

"For the King?"

"Yes. There is something he needs me to do." Eric was choosing his words carefully.

"The last time a vampire told me he was leaving for a few days, he ended up almost doubly dead and I had to save his ass," I retorted. Just because I could sense that he was feeling horrible about leaving, didn't make me any less upset. Why did the men in my life always leave?

"I'm not leaving," he said. I froze.

"Did you just.."

"No, I felt your apprehension, and I know what that bastard did to you." He said, as he hugged me closer.

"You mean leave me, like you're doing now?" I said, and Eric growled, a deep guttural sound that almost made me shiver. I wanted to push away but he held me tighter.

"He abandoned you Sookie, and I will never do that. I have long resigned myself to the fact that I would rather die than," he paused, "just know that I'd rather die."

I took that in. If that wasn't a statement of profound devotion I didn't know what was. My world had just changed drastically in the past hour it seemed. Sweet Jesus.


	19. Chapter 19: Niall's Gift

A/N: Okay, so this story was never meant to be a huge thriller/adventure/mystery shindig.(It was never meant to be, period. I started writing what I thought Eric's house would look like, and look what happened!) I was never going for an amazing plot here, I just wanted to write a version where these two could have their freakin' "talk" that they need to have so badly. That's all really.

So this is the crux of it, here in this chapter. The resolution that should be the final piece to their cementing the relationship. I hope. I think. I let this shit just come to me, so ya, it might change. Hopefully it won't though.

Why am I still typing? Why are you still listening? Go read!

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A loaded silence fell as we laid there curled around each other. Energy buzzed around the room as if the walls themselves were coming down from euphoria. I stared at our bodies, (well mostly Eric's) and watched the light shine off of them. It was a dizzying effect. Vampires always gave off a slight glow to me, but this was blatant, and extremely noticeable. It was as if Serendipity was laughing at me. I lifted up my hand and stared. It looked almost phospherecent, and Eric swelled with pride as I regarded my own features with interest. He was happy.

This was the most vampire blood I had ever had in my system, and I was closer to his kind now than I had ever been. I'm sure he knew this and was considering how I felt about it. The problem was, I didn't know how to feel about it. I felt more content in Eric's presence than ever before, certainly. I could equally feel his joy for the connection and it made me all the happier for it. If our current mood were to be judged on the 'happy scale' it'd be through the roof. But the paranoia was also there. The questions. The nagging cautious side of my brain was filling me with doubt and uncertainty. Mostly, I dreaded him leaving.

I knew well enough that part of this new mental pain was from our connection, that had just been doubly reestablished, and I hated myself for being so stupid to allow it. He was going to leave, and I was going to ache for him. Real bad.

I instinctively hugged him closer. I breathed in the smell of skin and hair and all but buried myself in his arms. I tried very hard not to cry.

"You're sad," Eric said rather simply. Of course I was sad. _Idiot._ I didn't bother with answering, I just nodded my head into his chest.

"I'm coming back Sookie, the odds are stacked in your favor. I can't seem to help but stay close to you. We're too connected, too altered at this point. Singularity is over."

"What do you mean?" I asked weakly as I looked up at his chin.

"The idea of being alone for us is finished. One can not live without the other." He looked down at me to prove his certainty. He sounded utterly determined, and he held fast for one long moment before amusement flashed across his face. "Luckily, I am immortal, so staying around for you should not be a problem." He looked proud and puffed out his chest for dramatic effect.

I sighed with a sad strangled humor. I was human. Fragile, and weak. He would stay beautiful and perfect for centuries and I would age and shrivel before him. I tucked my head back into his chest and failed to hide the tears in my eyes.

"Sookie, you're aging is not a problem." he said out of nowhere. He was definitely more in tune with me than ever. I stifled a sob. "You're more 'other' than you think."

My breathe caught in my throat and I choked out a sob into my hand before sitting bolt upright in a flash. My vision swayed and my head spun, the vampire blood was certainly taking effect. I stared Eric down with a look that could only mean one thing; _Explain_.

Eric sighed and sat up on the bed. He tried to embrace me again, but I pushed him away with another urging look. His eyes were cautious. He had to say something he thought I wasn't going to like. _Let me be the judge of that,_ I thought. Dammit, he better spit it out, and now.

"Niall..." he started to say and I gasped, cutting him off. A flash of a thought popped into my head from Eric's mind. Niall had figured out a "rather fitting" gift for me and he had told Eric in confidence. The flash included an image of the two of them sitting on my front porch. I momentarily searched my mind for a time when both Niall and Eric would have been on my front porch. I couldn't remember any opportunity...

The sound of Eric clearing his throat brought me back to the present. I was so scared of what I was about to hear I just sat, staring back in his blue eyes.

"Shall I continue?" Eric said with a raised brow. I nodded, not trusting my voice. "Good," he nodded. Eric wanted to get this out in the open, and fast. That just made me even more nervous.

"Niall came to me about a month back. He had been struggling to find a fitting gift for you. A gesture of sorts, to show his love for you. You've proven to be a hard person to figure out. You're too stubborn."

"Did he say that?" My voice found its way out of my mouth before I could register the thought in my head. I was slightly hurt that my Great grandfather would say such a thing, even though it was probably true.

"No, _he_ didn't." Eric gave me a crooked smile. _Oh_. Realization hit me. Eric thought I was stubborn, not Nalli. That made total sense. "Now please don't interrupt again, I'd like to get through this before dawn."

I nodded and he continued. "Niall knew about our bonding and had sensed a rather strong connection between the two of us. He made an assumption that maybe one day you'd return the rather obvious affection I had for you." He gave me a pointed, accusing look and I heard from his mind, _It certainly took you long enough,_ and I held back a chuckle. Yep, the vamp blood was definitely effecting me.

"After figuring that his assumption would probably come to fruition he decided to instill you with a Fae lifeline." Eric paused after that and looked at me cautiously from his side of the bed. I stared back at him, letting the words sink in. _A Fae Lifeline?_ As if Eric heard my inner question, he explained.

"You'll live and stay young for as long as is needed. Niall took my particular situation into account and adjusted your lifeline to run in sync with mine." He paused again, and I still stared, so he continued. "This wouldn't of been able to happen if you weren't part fae to begin with. That, mixed with the history of vampire blood in your system has made you into an interesting blend of many beings. You are utterly unique now Sookie."

He spoke his last words with pride and stared down at me with bright eyes. I however was still taking everything in and was wondering why my vision was getting cloudy.

My eyes stung as the first tears spilled over and Eric took his hand to wipe them away. I let him do it. I felt numb for a minute; gone. "Outer Body Experience" didn't cover it. I raked my brain for reasons why this should be wrong. Why this particular situation should bother me. I then thought of the reasons why I should be happy about this and found one. Just one. This would give me Eric. Totally and unconditionally, for as long as we needed and wanted.

Eric was waiting in front of me. I could feel the electricity in the air, humming in anticipation. Even the atmosphere wanted to know how I would react to this.

"How long?" I asked. I wanted to know when this all began. When the transition occurred. I wanted to know if I should feel any different, or if I did feel different, period. I couldn't tell. I sighed. This whole thing was totally throwing me for a loop. _Thanks Eric for getting me high off my ass on vamp blood before telling me the most profound statement of my newly elongated life. _

"Since you accepted me," he said stopping my inner thought process. He couldn't hide the smile in his voice. "The second you accepted us you changed."

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A/N: *looks around at her group of readers wondering what they thought*

Well?

How does that work for ya?


	20. Chapter 20: Tears and Coffee

A/N: Lordy! Thank you for your support of the last chapter! All the reviews were lovely, and the encouragement to keep on going is just fabu. You're fabulous darlings, all of y'all!

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_Christ on a bicycle!_ Was he serious? He was. He totally was. This was real. I wasn't dreaming. I also wasn't breathing, Eric noticed and patted me on the back, forcing the breath I was unawarely holding in, out. _Whoosh_, it all went, and with it, my last scrap of control. I fell down on the bed and cried. Cried for a life that would never be, and life that would. I cried for the time I had wasted and the realization that I had all the time I'd ever want. That scared the shit out of me, so I cried out of fear as well. I cried for ever feeling bitter about loosing him, and then got angry that I never had to be bitter in the first place, because I apparently I didn't. I cried for the months of confusion I had without him; I cried for it all. The vamp blood was not helping my situation, it hightened every feeling and emotion and made the shudders ripping through my body seem ever more violent then they actually were. I cried for that too. Everything. I was a sobbing mess of snot and salty tears. It was disgusting, but it was necessary. It was catharsis, and boy, did I need some.

Eric loomed above me, worried but consoling none the less. I knew this of course because I could feel it through our connection and the electricity in the air vibrated in his touch. He then did something I never thought possible for a 1000 year old, war hardened, vampire Viking to ever do. He picked me up, put me in his lap and hummed to me. His tone was deep and I could feel the vibrations in his chest before hearing them in the room. It was a beautiful sound. Heavy and laced with comfort. I never knew that Eric was musical, but then I mentally rolled my eyes at my naive statement; Eric was accomplished at everything. I let out a soft chuckle at that realization. I didn't know what he was humming, but it worked. It calmed me, he calmed, our connection calmed me. Everything.

"Eric" I rasped out, when I felt my voice had returned to me.

"Hmm?" he responded.

I felt like I needed to tell him something, reassess something. I didn't want to be corny or dramatic, but I just had to say it right then. "I love you." I hated how inferior it sounded. How utterly 'not enough' it was. But instead of trying to string together eloquent words about my feelings like a poetic writer, I opted to simply surge all my feelings outward into him, and allowed him to understand silently how gratefully I was, and how complete I now felt.

Eric practically swelled with it all and smiled into my hair. I could feel it as his lips drew back. He kissed the top of my head and said, "it's about damn time woman."

Lust sparked through me the next second and I kind of hated myself for it. We were having a nice moment and I had to go and get all horny on him. I was truly an emotional nutcase. Eric, of course, felt it and purred into my hair. The vibrations in his chest reverberated in between my thighs and I squirmed.

No more whoopie would be made that night however. The sun was due to rise in less than an a hour and Eric had to explain to me the specifics of his trip. (The specifics he _could_ tell.) We both new that the farther apart we were, the more miserable we'd become. The amount of each other's blood we shared now, made this fact only more dominant, even though neither of us spoke the fear aloud. It was like the large pink elephant sitting on my vanity in the room. I hated it and glared at it. Willing it to go away.

Eric still couldn't tell me why the King needed him, and I begrudgingly agreed. If worse came to worse and someone needed to know of Eric's whereabouts or plans, I would certainly be put on the list of people "in the know". This made me a target, and Eric wanted to keep me as safe as possible while he was gone. I on the other hand, already had more than enough new information to scare the shit out of me, so knowing anything more than I should, simply wasn't appealing anymore.

After a half an hour of discussion and repeating the key points we had gone over in the discussion, it was time for Eric to take his refuge in the light-tight cubby hole in the closet next door. At nightfall the next evening he'd be gone for an undisclosed amount of time, though he promised that if it were up to him, he'd be back within "a matter of hours." I highly doubted that and refused to get my hopes up.

I didn't sleep that night.

I laid in bed and watched the ceiling change color with the sunrise. From deep navy to a slate gray; from a periwinkle tinged with tangerine to a soft mellow gold. The colors kept my mind off of the negative, while my eyes stung with the tears I tried to hold back. Despite the cheeriness of my room in the daylight, mentally a little black rain cloud hung over my head. I missed the night, the dark. The moonlight meant Eric, and I wanted it back, _bad_. How dare the sun rise and take him away from me, trying to mask its cruelty in golden light and warmth. Nothing felt warm in that moment, everything felt bleak. I then mentally shook myself, and tried to repair my resolve. _Jesus woman, _my inner pragmatic spoke..._ Sookie, you can get through this. _

At 7AM I gave up any hope of comfort without Eric near me and got up to make the coffee. On my way to the kitchen I replaced the few things sitting outside the closet where Eric was sleeping and blew a kiss at the floor where I knew he was underneath. More tears threatened to spill over and I rubbed my face, willing myself to get it together. I straightened my shoulders and walked with a slightly higher head into the kitchen. I could do this, Dammit! He'd be gone for only a short while. I'd lived without him for 25 years, I could certainly handle myself for a few days.

"Pull yourself together Sookie!" I snapped at the coffee maker, as I watched the glorious dark liquid drip into the pot. I wouldn't drip fast enough, and man did I need some.

"Oh! Okay." I heard from behind and jumped.

"Oh," I repeated with my hand on my heart, "You scared me Amelia."

"Yes, that's just what every girl loves to hear in the morning."

I snickered, "you knew what I meant. Sorry, good morning."

"Mornin'," she said with a groggy smile, sliding into the first chair her butt found and putting her head down on the table. That was very un Amelia like, and so I had to see what was up. Even her thoughts weren't awake yet.

"You're not your normal self this morning sweetie." I said it as a statement but it was with a, _explain-why-the-hell-you-look-so-beat_ kind of delivery.

"Yes, well I was up most of the night listening to my very own episode of 'Dark Shadows' play out downstairs. Man you two can make noise! Even when you're not screwing like jack rabbits."

I stared at her wispy blonde head with my mouth open for a beat longer than I probably should have, but then again her tactless self just sent me through the ringer. "You. _Heard. _All that!?"

"No, not all of it, but I got the gist. I'm sorry, by the way that lover boy's leaving."

I almost threw the coffee pot at her. "Amelia, you can't tell anyone! Nobody! Not even Octavia! I shouldn't even know what I know. I don't even know WHAT I know, but I shouldn't know it! Ya know?"

"Uh, no?" She raised her eyebrow in a comical sort of way and then rolled her eyes before adding, "relax Sookie, I won't tell. I don't even know what's going on really. Only that he's leaving for some business and that you're real upset about it." We glared at each other for a minute longer before she changed the subject, "Speaking of that, I was thinking we should have a movie night! Ya know? You, me, Ben and Jerry!"

She was trying to make me feel better, I could hear the wheels turning in her head, as she put together a plan to get my mind off things. She could be an evesdropping tactless bitch sometimes, but I had to love her. I offhandedly said "Sure, why not," before pouring myself a cup of coffee and joining her at the table. I then said a silent prayer thanking God that I actually had roommates. It gave me comfort knowing that even with Eric gone, I wouldn't be alone.

_I can do this. _

----------------------

A/N: Sookie's chemical makeup has changed, in case you're wondering why she went from a spunky Independent woman to heart sick puppy in the course of one night. She's now fully connected and in sync with Eric as well, so you have to realize that part of her emotions are his. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. ;-)

Don't worry, she's not a total sap. She's just in the throws of the most intense love she's ever had. And! After having that new intensity for about the span of a gnat's lifetime, its suddenly all going away for an undisclosed amount of time. You'd be sulky too.


	21. Chapter 21: Eric

A/N: Wow, two updates in one day? I must really love y'all.

No offense to Miss Paquin, but I read the books before I saw the series, and the Sookie in my head is not you. Picture this: If Vivean Leigh and Marlon Brando had a baby... And then Penelope Cruz and Matthew McConahay had a baby. And then those two babies grew up (having Paula Dean as a nanny) and _they_ had a baby.... THAT'D be my Sookie. (Please ignore the horrid spelling of those names.)

I told you that because in **this little chapter - which really isn't a chapter, its an aside to the story** - I worked from the point of view of Eric. I had to have the right Sookie in my head to write about and Anna wasn't it.

So here we have Eric waking up from the pervious night and going through a little bit of emotional diarrhea. You also get a wee dram of insight into his past. Not much, just a tad. Enjoy!

"And now, for something completely different.... "

-----------------------------

ERIC

I woke at dusk, and knew instinctually that it was too early to get up. My body was still dead, limp beneath me. My head however; spun. What the hell had I done? _What the fuck did I just stupidly get myself into? Again._ I swore it off last time. I swore never to become involved emotionally with anyone ever again. I should have learned something after all this time. All this time I've had without her.

_Her_.... I closed my eyes again.

After last month I had put _He_r away in my mind. Said my final goodbyes to the love that was once mine, but had been lost for so long. The girl that once belonged to me, and loved me and was taken from me. The reason I hated to feel. The reason I had closed myself off for 752 years. But after last month when Niall came to me with his proposition for Sookie, I dared to hope. I bolted the door shut on that part of my past and looked toward a future that was impossible and uncertain, but filled with the sweetest kind of anticipation. The anticipation that Sookie would accept me. Wake me up and bring me back. I dreaded it, but wanted it. More than anything I wanted Sookie.

_I'm still an idiot_, I thought. The problem with loosing what you thought was your soulmate once, and then finding another, was that you become petrified if anything happened to that person. If _anything_ were to go wrong, and God forbid if I were to loose Sookie... I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and my hands balled into fists.

I was blessed with finding her in the first place; could I really be that lucky? Could I really be that stupid? _Can I really be this confused? Fuck Eric, get it together!_ Both my arms were working at that point and I shoved the palms of my hands into my eyes. Wiling the fear to leave, along with the final rays of the sinking sun.

I've only had centuries to get the idea cemented soundly in my brain that real emotional connections were dead for me; But God! Sookie. _She_ just, was in my head! All. The. Time. I hated it. I loved it. I wanted it. I was clearly a masochist. Ever since she walked into my bloody bar (pun intended) two years ago, she had occupied a tiny sliver of my thoughts that grew and grew until she practically filled my entire head. I didn't love her then, of course. I'm not that weak. But I am indulgent. I indulged myself in Sookie and fell. I let myself fall. And here I was, in her house, smelling her scent all over me and loving the feeling of her blood in my veins. _Her _in my veins. _Sookie._

My penis twitched in my pants. _Come on_, I thought. _Not now! This is not the time. _I hit my head with the palm of my hand. _Control yourself man._

I laid there and continued to stew. Frustrated and horny and hating and loving, all at the same time. Thinking over the two years that had been emotional hell for me. The two years that had broken me down into a love sick idiot all over again. Last night was the final straw. It broke the camel's back. Or in this case, the final checkmate in this sick and twisted game of chess I had been playing with Sookie for two years. Last night, she gave in. She folded and threw down her Queen. She gave it to me; mine. She _was_ the Queen. The ultimate prize to me and she was mine now, and I couldn't have been more euphoric about it. I couldn't have been more overwhelmed with joy when she finally said she loved me. When she finally accepted me. She glowed for me then, physically and emotionally. I basked in it. She even repeated her sentiment of love as I held her, hummed to her, and willed her horrible tears away. The amount of relief and excitement I felt when she said those words could have restarted the dead organ in my chest that hadn't pumped for a 1000 years. She was finally mine, and it was perfect.

After all, I had been hers for almost two years. She'd had me and didn't even know it. She'd repeatedly stomped on my heart and didn't even know it. I'd known since the second time we'd shared blood. I knew then how I'd fall, and how I would gladly let it happen. And I knew then how stupid it was. How idiotic I was being by giving her more of me. Allowing her to have that kind of hold on me. But I did it. I did it for her, so she could save that bastard. That asshole who didn't have the decency to even pretend to respect her. He just used her. But she crazily wanted to save him. If that was going to make her happy, or give her some kind of peace before she dumped the douche I'd help her. I would have let him die and not thought twice about it, but she would have cried.

_I hate seeing her cry. _

Thinking about the amount of danger and pain he put her through made me growl and my fist hit the ground and shook the foundations of her house before I even knew what I was doing. _Well, I hope no one was napping, _I thought after the house steadied and the dust from the beams above my head settled.

_Fuck him_, I thought. He holds no meaning to her anymore, she's mine. _Why am I even giving him any thought? _I laughed then. Cold and erratic. He was beneath me in every way. It was comical how much happier I would make her, how much more perfect our lives would be.

"Our lives" I said out loud and reveled in how wonderful it sounded. It meant so much. It expressed everything in two little words. Sookie could be with me, and stay young and strong for as long as we wanted. And if I had any say in the matter that'd be a damn long time. _Why even think about endings?_ We were barely beginning and time was most definitely on our side. I smiled then, and it grew from smug and devilish to elated and practically manic. My vampiric self was on an emotional roller coaster it seemed. Some of it must be her, vampires were never this emotional.

I forced back my nagging thoughts then; my anger at myself and bolted them behind the door of the past. I _finally_ had a future to look forward to. A future to live, instead of just existing in. I finally had a god dammed _Reason.._.

Sookie.

I stretched out my legs, and flexed my toes. I had gained full body movement and pushed open the latch of the cubby hole and stepped out of Sookie's spare closet in one fluid motion. I turned around to replace the few things that had be thrown askew with my exit and closed the door.

No one was home. _She_ wasn't home. I ached.

Sookie was gone and as I walked into her bedroom to retrieve my shirt and boots my eyes fell on the bed. Her bed. She hadn't made it. Something was off, she always makes her bed. I knew she was safe and sound though, I could feel her. She was melancholy and stressed, but she was breathing and her fresh blood still coursed in me. I could practically taste her on my tongue. I licked my lips as I pictured her and I in the bed before me and closed my eyes. The memories we had in this room and the memories we'd _make_ intoxicated me. I rocked back and forth on the balls and heels of my feet and grinned.

_Lust_.

"Holy shit," I said opening my eyes in a flash. That wasn't me. That was Sookie! She had sent a spark of lust through me so strong my entire body sprang to attention and my hairs stood on end. I loved it! A wicked smile spread across my face; she was feeling what I was feeling. She was seeing what I was thinking, and she was turned on. I was going to have an immense amount of fun with that, but first thing was first; _make that bed. _

Ten minutes later I was in the small entrance hall to her house with my duffle bag packed and on my shoulder and my hand on the front door knob; frozen. All my uncertainty was back. All my anger at myself for being so stupid. The difference now was that I knew why I was angry. It was because I was leaving. I was leaving her. I had just finally gotten her, my dream, my girl, and now I was leaving her? _What the fuck am I doing? _

I knew the answer but it felt good to curse and fume anyway. The King had given me a task and in order to keep Sookie safe, I had to play along. I had to go and do what was needed, take care of business and pray that I could have her back in my arms within a few hours. Maybe a day. Maybe two.... _shit! _

I silently promised myself to not be gone for more than two days. One day would be torture. Two days would be agony. I was only ten minutes away from her just now and even that was making my stomach gnaw at itself. My insides twisted and turned and screamed to be near her again. I looked down at my black t-shirt, willing my body to shut up. It wasn't going to be any help. It had a mind of its own when it came to Sookie.

_Mind over matter_, I told myself as I stood at the door, my hand still on the knob.

_Mind over matte_r. I would go and do what was needed, come back and then hopefully only leave her side when it was unavoidable. I could do this. If Sookie could hold her head up and was getting through her shift at the bar, I could certainly go and throw my weight around for the King. Victor was already going to be peeved beyond all hell fire. I was 15 minutes late at this point. A half-hearted, metaphorical bitch slap was most certainly in my future. I groaned out of frustration.

On top of all this emotion and hurt and frustration and _fuck_.... I had promised to run that damn bar Sookie worked at. Hopefully the King would understand that I know had two establishments to look after in Louisiana and he wouldn't detain me for too long. I laughed at that. Like I was a child with some doctor's note. _Wishful thinking Eric_, I thought.

With a final groan that sounded more like a growl, and shook the window pains of the house, I threw open the door in front of me and stepped outside into the cold dark of the night. Away from the warmth of Sookie's house and the intoxicating scent of my mate.

In my left hand I clenched a pair of her underwear. It was clean, but still it was hers, it was intimate and she'd find out and hate me for it. I smiled at that, she'd hate me, but she'd feel what I was feeling when I regarded it and that would make her squirm with anticipation. With that final devious thought playing in my mind I bounded off the front porch in one long stride and flew into the night.

_I can do this_.

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A/N: My first attempt at writing Eric.

How'd I do? Did you like it? Want more?

Please, do tell. :-)


	22. Chapter 22: I Can Do This

A/N: Okay, this chapter is kind of a mess. There was a lot to cover, and I didn't want to drag it out. Half of this chapter has been written for about two weeks... I just couldn't finish it.

My first attempt to finish this chapter was yesterday, and I ended up with an entirely different story on my hands. I added it as a one shot called "Take This Waltz", go read it if you wish. It's happy and romantic, and will probably sate you while you wait another long ass time for my next update. I swear, I do try to write faster, its just things distract me, like songs on the radio, and the actual chapters don't get written.

Blame my ADD please, not me.

We're back to Sookie's POV here... enjoy!

-----------------------------------

After my conversation with Amelia in the kitchen I took my cup and once again went outside to the porch swing, while sipping the hot coffee. It was too cold at this point to stay outside for long, but the crisp air worked to awaken my senses, which sprang to life with a vengeance the second I breathed in. My sullen mood must have kept my mind from it, but Eric's blood was coursing through my veins, working its magic, and the realization hit me like a mac truck. My body was electric it felt so alive. There was definitely some kind of new life force taking hold of me, and I wondered if any of it was the gift, or if it was just Eric? I decided after a beat that it had to be a mixture of both. _You're utterly unique now Sookie_, Eric's words sounded in my head.

I smiled down into my coffee with a nervous grin. Eric's blood was high inducing but it didn't make me panic, which most certainly would have been my normal reaction to feeling such a force pumping through me. Instead, I felt a mellow calm wash over me, and wondered if Eric was influencing me from where he slept. I assumed part of his pragmatic nature was taking hold. Eric never panicked, it was barely even a word in his vocabulary. I slouched down deeper onto the swing and sighed. Surely, more unexpected new developments concerning my begin were in my future, and I wanted Eric to be there with me as I discovered them. I prayed for the seventeenth time that morning that he wouldn't be gone for long.

I was scheduled to work that afternoon, which made seeing Eric before his leaving seem like an impossibility. So I packed up several meals for Sam; some hot soup, a lasagna, fried chicken and a heaping pile of rice n' beans; before heading over to the bar, hoping a good visit with my best friend would do the trick for my spirits. (Which were currently low on the Sookie-Happiness-Spectrum.)

Octavia helped me in the kitchen and I thanked her profusely for it. It was above and beyond what was needed. She had to have sensed my mood because the entire time she was sweet and cautious with what she said around me. Sometimes, she was so quiet and unassuming that it felt as if Gran were back in the kitchen with me, cooking, like we used to do. That only made me more melancholy, but when it came time to get Sam the feast that we had made him, I gave her a kiss on the check and a few extra notches of my respect.

_I can do this_, I repeated again as I left the house. It had become my mantra. Things weren't going to be easy outside of my little bubble I shared with Eric. His business with the King was certainly an example of that. Our relationship was not a normal one, and certainly wasn't going to be received with open arms and home baked cookies. One of the opinions I dread most was from Sam. This was going to be a delicate situation for a while. I sighed again as I pulled up to his trailer behind Merlotte's.

_I can do this._

Sam's trailer was as stuffy as ever when I walked in. I had no choice but to open the kitchen window and let in some fresh crisp air. Sam didn't stop me, in fact he welcomed the fresh air. Being cooped up was not something his two-natured self was used to. You could tell he was antsy just looking at him.

On top of the food that I brought him, was also a set of sheets for his bed and a clean quilt to use for the sofa. He protested when I started to make up his bed with the clean sheets, and protested even more when I wrenched the stale smelling quilt off of him.

"You should try to get a shower in too, and some clean clothes, it'll make you feel better. Can you wash with those hands all bandaged up?" I asked.

"Ya, I went and got them changed yesterday, so before hand, I got to clean off," he responded while blushing slightly.

"Sam!" I turned to him shocked.

He didn't get it, and looked back at me with a slightly confused expression.

"You drove to the doctor's by yourself? Why on earth did you not call me? I would have taken you! Friends are supposed to help each other out. Jesus, and lord knows I owe you..." he cut me off then.

"Sookie, you don't owe me anything. I drove myself because I wanted to get out of the trailer. My hands are a little jacked up right now, but they still work." He looked at me exasperated and I backed off. I was already making him food and changing his sheets, I suppose driving him to the doctor's might make him keel over from too much maternal attentions. The was a breaking point for everyone.

"Alright well then go throw on a clean shirt at least. And where's your laundry at? I'm taking it home to wash." He couldn't stop me from doing that. I went and gathered up strewn clothing and found his hamper before he could even protest.

Being at Sam's, keeping myself occupied with something productive and helpful, for even that short amount of time was good for my nerves and melancholy. It felt good to know that Sam would have some home cooked food for a few days, and that he'd have nice clean sheets to sleep on at night. My Gran was always an advocate of changing the sheets as often as possible. "If just feels so good to sleep on set of fresh sheets," she'd say, and I totally and utterly believed her. Plus, anything that made Sam feel better was a positive in my book. Even if he didn't realize that it would work at first. I made a mental note to call him the next morning and gloat over how much better I knew he would feel having slept on freshly laundered sheets. I'd used a special fabric softener and everything, he'd cave and admit it the second his head hit the pillow.

I left his trailer an hour later with a hamper and a clear garbage bag filled with laundry. Along with a slight bit of sweat at my brow from scrubbing every single dish in the state of Louisiana clean, that had been lurking in his overrun sink. I'm sure Sam was feeling mighty emasculated right about then, but he'd thank me later for it. I just knew it.

It was only when I finally walked into the bar after dropping Sam's laundry off in my car trunk, that I realized we no longer had a manager to run the place. Terry couldn't handle both lunch and night shifts and Eric would be gone for Lord knows how long.

_Shitshitshitshitshit! _

After allowing myself an internal cursing tirade, I did the only thing I could think of; I called in a favor. Several actually. Yup, Eric's blood was definitely effecting my mental prowess. I smiled inwardly, he'd b so proud.

"Amelia?"

I heard the flush in her checks and a grunt from Tray over the phone before she could even try and stammer out a sad excuse for why it took her seven tries to pick up. Like I already didn't know. A smirk played at my lips as I heard her put her hand over the receiver and whisper to Tray to be quiet. Little did she realize that Eric's blood was making every one of my senses ten times keener than they had been. I could practically hear the washing machine churning downstairs, and knew that she was in her room from the sound of the modem of her computer in the corner. The sheets rustled as she sat back down, obviously having gotten up out of the bed to get the phone.

_Wow, this is kind of kick ass_, I thought to myself as Amelia responded, "Ya hun? Uhh, sorry for not picking up sooner... I was..."

"No need to explain Amelia. I know." She didn't bother respond to my knowing tone, I only heard a "humph" from her over the line.

"Listen girl, I need a favor." I was gonna milk my Sookie's-Sullen-Cause-Her-Hunk-a-Hunk-O-Burning-Love-is-Leaving-for-an-Undisclosed-Amount-of-Time-And-My-Roommate-Wants-to-Help-Me-Feel-Better-no-Matter-What card for all that it was worth. "Can you come in and work tonight? No one is hear to manage the place and I can't let Sam down. Terry's good for the lunch shift, but tonight I gotta get some extra hands working in this place."

Amelia was quiet for a minute, I heard her drop and shake her head into the receiver before she lifted it up once more and said with all the perkiness she could muster, "Sure thing! When do you need me?"

After telling her when to arrive and that there were extra pairs of work T's and black shorts in the third drawer down in my dresser, I called in favor number two. Alcide. He was way too happy to answer my phone call, but I didn't even bother to analyze it, I just used it.

"Alcide? I know its been a while, I hope everything is good with you?" After some small talk and inquiring about the pack and how things had been going in his personal life - the poor guy did have some rough times in the past - I decided to test my luck of his pleasing tone.

"How does my 'Friend of the Pack' status still stand?" I asked hesitantly.

"You will never not be a friend of the pack Sookie, you can't do anything to change that status. You will also always be a friend to me as well, even if the relationship gods seem hell bent on us never being in the right place at the right time emotionally."

I had to laugh at that, he was right. However, I couldn't get distracted now, or delve into what the relationship gods had just doled out concerning me, I just had to be upfront. "I'm real glad to hear that Alcide, really I am. I gotta favor to ask though..."

"Shoot," he said, urging me to proceed.

"Alright. I'm running things down here in Bon Temps now at the bar. You know, Merlotte's? Sam's been out of commission as you know and well, I was wondering if I could ask permission to borrow a bartender from Amanda's place? Just for a few nights? I know the holidays are starting up, but it'd be a real help."

He was silent for a few moments before saying, "Sure. Anything. I'm surprised you felt the need to call me first though? Why not just ask Amanda?"

"Oh, I just wanted to go through all the correct channels is all." I put a little bit of extra Southern sweetness into my voice.

"Well haven't you turned into a little pragmatist." He said, and I could hear a smile in his tone. He was proud of me. I smiled back into the receiver, if only he knew... I rolled my eyes.

Five hours later, with the lunch shift over, and the night shift swinging into full gear I now had an extra waitress at my beck and call, and Amanda's second best bartender from her establishment. She was surprisingly civil to me on the phone as well, when she called giving me the details of payment for Jack Twist's services. (Yes, that was his real, birth given name.) I had to hold back a giggle. I felt like I was paying for a gigolo instead of a bartender.

The only hitch during the night came at around 6PM, right after sundown. We were still working the early shit and Amelia had yet to arrive when I felt it. Eric had risen, and I knew immediately from our connection. I could feel him, pulsing in me so strongly. It seemed his blood coursed even faster during his waking ours and energy surged through me. It was fabulous, and at the same time torturous. I instantly wanted to be near him. Holding him, breathing in his scent. All of those things were impossible. He needed to leave as soon as the sun went down behind the horizon. His only comfort for that fact being that the the sooner he left the sooner he'd be back.

I don't know what Eric was thinking, but I had been carrying a set of drinks to a table when I almost convulsed. Luckily, my reflexes were hightened and I felt the anticipation of the jolt before it happened. I plopped the pints of beer down at a table next to me with minimal foam spillage, almost he second before the spark hit. It was lust, pure lust. Eric was thinking about me, about us, about.... well, _damn_. Was he trying to give me a heart attack? Or be the sole reason for me to self combust on the spot?

I dashed back to Sam's office for privacy, moving faster than I had expected. (Another side effect of Eric's blood.) The moment I closed the door, I collapsed onto the floor. Blood rushed to my head and I swear, I almost orgasmed on the spot. This was_ clearly_ going to be a problem. I didn't know if he was doing it on purpose but he certainly wasn't going to get away with me almost having dumped five pints of beer onto my customers.

I regrouped on the floor and focused. I pinpointed in my head where he was at that moment, surprisingly it was rather easy. I didn't see him, but I could certainly feel him and instinctively knew that he was in my bedroom. I smiled. _Perfect. _

_My turn. _

I didn't know how to do what I was about to attempt, I just knew I could. I felt a little wrong doing this in Sam's office, this was totally disrespectful, but I blamed my boldness on Eric's influence. I slid my hand down the front of my shorts, found the spot I was looking for, closed my eyes, felt Eric standing in my room and mentally surged him with my own longing and lust.

Judging by the feeling I got back, I'm pretty sure he convulsed too. I smiled wickedly to myself, got up went on with my night, feeling better than I had all day. Eric could still connect with me, despite our distance. This was either going to be a huge problem, or extremely fun. Since I was determined to not let my uncertainty and fear get the best of me at work, I put on a smile and let the good feelings roll.

I cruised on that 'good feeling' high for the rest of the night. Things were fine without Sam or Eric (despite my missing him) and I found surprisingly that I could run things backstage just as well as I cold waitress. Amelia came through with shinning colors, and even Tray helped carry in large kegs and boxes of alcohol for restocking. The boy was clearly pussy whipped, but I couldn't me more happy about it.

It was only when I got home and finally allowed myself to sit down and breathe for a second that the longing and need came back; along with the fear of uncertainty. Eric's scent was everywhere. I could smell where he had walked and followed his trail around as if it were an invisible rope, pulling me. I almost cried when I saw that he had made my bed for me, leaving a note on the pillow.

_"My Sookie, _

_You've given me a reason to feel and exist again. A reason to love. I will always be eternally grateful to you, and will spend eternity thanking you in more ways than you can imagine. "_

I could almost perfectly see the the smirk on his face as he wrote that line. Afterwards there should have been, 'insert-overtly-sexual-innuendo-smilely-face-here' written.

I held in a bittersweet giggle and continued:

_"I will be with you again soon. _

_And I bloody well mean, Soon. _

_Eternally yours,_

_~E " _

With the last few sentences, the tears that I hadn't even known that had been forming spilled over and freely flowed for the next two hours. It was not an hysterical heaving cry out, it was a slow and labored emotional cascade. I thanked my lucky stars that next day was the eve of the Thanksgiving and that the bar would only be open for the lunch shift before a two day break. Surely after that, Sam would at least be present in the bar, and I wouldn't have to hold my head as high and pretend that I wasn't hurting.

I buried my head in the pillow, breathed in the scent that was so essentially Eric, and let all my emotion out. It was a purging as much as it was a break down. I allowed myself to go to pieces; welcomed it. All day little ol' me had held my head up high and did what was needed. Took care of my friends and handled my job with flair and authority. I'd be damned now if I couldn't allow myself this tiny indulgence.

Amelia silently came in two hours later and placed a carton of Ben and Jerry's on my nightstand with a spoon and a bottle of chocolate sauce next to it. She turned on her heel and left the next second without even trying to console me. She knew it was a lost cause and that B and J were much more suited to the job than she was.

You better believe I ate that entire cartoon in ten minutes flat, passing out in a haze of tears and sugar two minutes later. As I hugged my pillow, wishing for it to materialize into Eric, begging for the ache in my chest to go away, I once again tried to steady my resolve. This time amending my mantra;

_Eric, please help me get through this. _

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A/N: Ugh, shizzle. That was a bitch of a chapter to write. So many things occurred and no Eric. *shakes head* What's the point if there's no Eric?

Don't worry he's coming back. This story is not a big ol' angst pie, or a plot driven thriller. Its just a simple love story. Having these two get together and be happy. I'm just that big of a sap.

Will try to update soon...

Remember, reviews make Eric come back faster! :-)


	23. Chapter 23: The Calling

A/N: Sorry for the delay, and how short this chapter is. However, it's here and its integral to the story. I didn't know it was, until I wrote it, but yah... enjoy!

---------------------------------

I woke the next morning in a glazed over daze. I felt like shit. What's worse, when I got up to go to the bathroom and saw my reflection in the mirror, I looked like shit too. My eyes were puffy and red. My face had sheet line indents all over it, since I had pathetically bundled up the sheets and pillows next to me into something snuggle worthy. I was trying to make a linen shaped Eric, and it obviously didn't work. My hair was also wild and I didn't even feel like trying to tame it. I walked back to my room, grabbed a pen I knew was lying on my bedside table and shoved it into the mess of knots and frizz, forcing it into a french twist. The result looking composed without any effort, nor having to worry about the knots.

There was no way I was going to shower for just a lunch shift with the way I was feeling. I did change my clothes however, and washed my face. I even put on a "soothing" mud mask. It was supposed to help "awaken" my pores and "rehydrate" my skin. I didn't really care about how awake my pores were, I just figured my face looked like shit, I should probably try and make it look presentable before shlepping into work.

Amelia, bless her soul, had put on coffee and had breakfast ready in the kitchen for me when I walked in.

"Oh! Sookie, what are you doing still in your work clothes?"

"I'm not _still_ in them," even though I had been, "I changed into them. I've got the lunch shift today."

"No you don't."

Was she kidding? Yes I did. "Yes I do."

"I called Terry, we have it all worked out. Holly and I are gonna work the lunch shift and Terry's gonna manage today behind the bar. If he needs help, Tray's on deck. You've got the day off. Tomorrow's Thanksgiving and we all decided that with Sam outta commission there was no point in having the place open. So you're starting your holidays early." She beamed at me, as if she were a puppy who had just done a back flip, expecting a cookie.

I still had the mud mask on but I started to cry anyway. I felt my face crackle as my check muscles contorted. The image must have been comical. "Amelia," I sniffled out, as I dragged my feet forward to wrap my arms around her.

"Aw, it's okay, don't worry." She patted the back of my head, as I pathetically cried on her shoulder. "And tonight is movie night so get ready missy!"

Amelia was way too perky for her own good in the mornings, but I had to admire how hard she was trying to make me feel better. I didn't even know if she liked Eric, let alone approved of the strange choice I made with choosing him. Yet, here she was, rubbing my back, making me breakfast and taking over shifts for me; all because Eric had to go do some vamp shit, and I was miserable without him.

15 minutes later I had eaten two eggs (at Amelia's request) three strips of bacon, a piece of toast and was on my second cup of coffee, while she was getting ready to head out the door. I had checked the clock on the kitchen stove earlier, and it was much later than I had thought, which meant that Amelia was probably going to be a wee bit late for my shift. _Oh well, Terry won't mind_.

After washing off the mask, which really did make my face feel better... brighter actually. Well, if your face can have the ability to feel brighter, mine did. I went back to my room, stripped off my shirt and pants, threw on my robe and climbed back into bed, curling up next to my silly arrangement of blankets and pillows.

I thought over a few things before I fell asleep. I wondered how I was going to live like this... Meaning, if being away from Eric was going to cause me such emotional stress, then how the hell were we going to even be separated in order to work? We both needed to make a living. This was ridiculous. I had to pull myself together. He had been gone only for a matter of hours and I was practically in pieces. Who was I kidding? I was in pieces.

While I was figuring out ways to deal with the fact that Eric was obviously going to have to be separated from me from time to time, I drifted off into an uneasy sleep. I tossed around restlessly trying to find something, someone. I knew subconsciously that my body was looking for Eric, but my body didn't know that. However, somewhere between dreaming and awake, my body found him.

I had rolled in my fruitless search on the bed, and suddenly as apposed to grasping at the warmed sheets from my touch, I found the cool firm form of Eric. I felt with my hands and found that he was shirtless, and I greedily moved myself closer, wrapping myself in his cool body, and burying my head in his hard chest. I breathed in and smelled him. His beautiful scent that reminded me of Christmas and I smiled.

He was back.

I looked up, and sure enough, Eric's fierce blue eyes were staring down at me, mind melding with me, telling me shared memories. But these were different. They weren't actual memories, they were.... new. Eric was showing me that he was in New Orleans and that the King had returned when Eric had arrived.

I came out of the mind meld for a second to look at Eric's face more closely. He was there, but he wasn't. He was an icy blue outline, a glowing haze that somehow replicated his shape and had mass. Eric wasn't here, his bond was. Whatever that magically bound us. The humming, the vibrations, the radioactive light, the connection period; was here, in my bed, in the shape of Eric. I brought my hand up to its smiling face, ever more beautiful in the dim light of the afternoon sun, and cupped its cheek with my palm. Of course it wasn't Eric, the sun was still seeping in through my windows. But this being, this Enigma was here, and needed to convey something to me. Clearly.

"Tell me," I asked him.

He couldn't speak, instead he focused on my eyes again and showed me what I needed to know. The King took Eric away on purpose. What we had done was not looked upon kindly by him. Whatever being I had become had no precedent in his world, and being bonded to a vampire as strong as Eric made the two of us an intimidating pair. The King was worried about us. The King was a coward.

The beautiful Enigma before me showed Eric attached to a chair, silver chains lying across his wrists, neck and feet. He wasn't bound down, merely willingly overpowered. Eric knew that if he fought back, the King would use it as an excuse to destroy him.

I realized then that my body was shaking, my breaths were coming fast and tears were streaming down my face. The amount of anger that was building in me was overwhelming and I immediately knew part of it was Eric. His anger was focused at the King for keeping me away from him. I whole heartedly agreed.

The Enigma showed me one more detail before he kissed me on the forehead with lips as soft as cool water and left. The final bit of information that was relaid between me and Eric that night was the condition the King gave in order to let Eric go.

Proof.

The King wanted proof of my transformation into some utterly otherworldly at the hand of my great grandfather, Niall. The King had a shaddy past with Niall and would not dare interfere with something of his doing. Further proving the cowardice of the King. Vampires hated showing weakness to a "lower" race. The fact that the King feared my Great Grandfather was a huge sign of personal weakness. I knew that I was looking through Eric's thoughts, but I had to smile then for the magnificence of my Great Grandfather. Even the vampires feared his abilities and strength.

If I showed up, proved my.... uniqueness to the King, and the fact that Eric was connected to Niall through his connection with me, the King would let us go freely. He did not like the idea of killing such an old and powerful being as Eric, but if we were lying, he would gladly destroy us both.

I closed my eyes after the connection ceased and hugged the form I so desperately wanted to believe was Eric. The being, bless him, hugged me back and kissed my hair before my body took over once again and rolled back, letting go of the Enigma and all of his scent and beauty.

At nightfall as if on cue, I awoke with a start. It was Eric waking me, urging my movements. That had been him earlier. That was our connection. I had never experienced him actually "calling" me before, but that sure as hell felt like it should have been one. I knew instinctively that the King thought if he weakened Eric with silver, his bond with me would weaken too. What the King didn't know was how strong our connection actually was, and how it had been reestablished the evening before Eric's departure. I could still feel Eric's blood coursing through me. I smiled wickedly at that fact. _Bastard_. The King didn't even bother doing his homework, did he? I wonder if he knew what happened to the last vampire who stole my boyfriend?

I let that happy thought keep me from doubling over in fear as I practically leapt out of bed. Amelia wasn't home yet and Octavia was out. That was good, less questions, less time wasted. Pragmatic Sookie had her game face on. I wrote a quick note to my housemates, packed a bag so fast I think all I managed to throw in was a toothbrush, a dirty pair of jeans and maybe one sandal, before busting out the backdoor into the night.

My cellphone was in my hand and a phone number was dialed before I even registered what I was doing. My connection with Eric was working overtime it seemed.

The phone rang once before being answered, "Fangtasia, where all your naughty dreams..."

"Pam," I cut her off. The severity of my voice warned her that this was not just a friendly phone call. Immediately she was on high alert.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"A plane. Now."

-------------------------------

A/N: *looks at everyone and wonders what they're thinking*

p.s. I realize that Sookie experienced Eric "calling" her in the last book when he was in trouble with the big lurch dude who's name I can not even attempt to spell. However, I maintain that Eric didn't _fully_ call Sookie, and that such an ability as that, with a bond like theirs.... needs to have something more to it. Soooo.... I made the "calling" have a full on form and shape. Sue me.

Haha, Moondance is now in my head...

"And I'm trying to please to** the calling**, Of your heart-strings that play soft and low. And all the niiiiiiiights magic.... seems to whisper and hush...." Okay, okay, I'm stopping now. I swear. Ta ta.


	24. Chapter 24: It's Gonna be a Bumpy Night

A/N: *makes out with every single one of her reviewers* I love you all! You're all beyond fabulous. *washes out mouth with rubbing alcohol* Sorry, you have to take precautions nowadays.

And now back to the story... we're still in Sookie's POV btw.

----------------------------

A half an hour later I was at a private airport, (exclusive to those in the Supe community) watching an equally private jet being taxied out onto the runway. Pam was standing next to me, her arms folded, a new pair of Ray Bands "Wayfarers" perched on her nose. Yes, she really did wear her sunglasses at night.

Pam had come through for me in spades. I had every intention of meeting her in Shreveport at Fangtasia, but she told me not to bother. The plane, the pilot and the flight plan to New Orleans would be ready within the half hour, and gave me directions to the airport instead. I had driven like a manic - another side effect from the bond, no doubt - and had arrived 15 minutes earlier than originally expected. Pam had also anticipated my lack of packing and had with her several extra suitcases, filled with "essentials" as she called them. I cringed internally, wondering exactly what Pam thought was "essential", but took the bags with an appreciative smile. I really didn't have the energy to bitch about them not being needed because they were. Besides, Pam would never have backed down if I said "no".

"Are you coming?" I asked her, kind of hoping that she would. It'd be nice to have someone to keep me from going ape shit on the plane. This wasn't going to be an easy flight to get through. I had that little clip of Betty Davis in my head from 'All About Eve' on repeat. "Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

"Of course I am. How often do you think I get to see a King have his ass served to him on a silver platter by a human?"

It was a rhetorical question. I tried to laugh but it came out a strangled choke. Thankfully Pam wasn't a very chatty vamp in times like these - meaning life or death situations - so there we stood, on the tarmac, waiting for the plane to stop taxing so we could climb aboard.

Her comment did pose a question though; was I still technically a human?

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The interior of the plane was lush and leather. Of course. I rolled my eyes.

"Is this Eric's jet?"

"No, its mine." She said this as she pushed her shades up atop her head and looked out the window.

Pam never did cease to amaze me. "Wow, nice digs."

I gave her a weak smile, trying to keep the atmosphere light. It was more for myself than her, I was slowly feeling myself being pulled down into a deep depression of anger, regret and pain. Most of these feelings were Eric's. He regretted ever leaving me in the first place, and he was furious with the King. I tried to send him calming vibes, but I wasn't very calm, so for all I knew I was making him even more agitated. My hands were bouncing on the seat they were shaking so much. I put them in my lap and tried to keep them still.

A chipper flight attendant walked up to me then, offering refreshments.

"Got any vodka?" I asked. And no, I wasn't trying to be funny, I was dead serious.

"Sookie? Is that the best idea?" Pam asked, but she was being sarcastic. I flipped my hand through the air at her.

"Hell yeah it is! I can barely sit still, I need something to cut through the nerves." I turned my attention to the attendant then. "Add some Red Bull to it. It'll keep me awake and take the edge off at the same time. Fucking perfect."

The flight attendant was taken aback by my mouth, and to be truthful, so was I. I had to calm down. "I'm sorry, but I am serious. Please, a red bull and vodka would be great." I gave her as sincere a smile as I could muster. She nodded her head and practically ran behind the curtain at the back of the plane to make my drink.

"Sorry for being harsh with your.... uh... crew."

"Oh please Sookie" Pam's signature ennui was back, as apposed to her high alert tone from earlier, "she needs to toughen up. I only hired her cause she had a cute ass anyway."

That was it for conversation between us. Pam went back to looking out the window and I drank. I had two cocktails before finally feeling the effects. I hadn't eaten much that day, so it didn't take much. Thank God.

The plane ride was blissfully short, then again I wasn't really paying attention to the time. I was focused on finding Eric's location from the images I had in my head. The King never expected for me to show up. He handed out the condition to Eric thinking it would be futile, and that he could simply dispose of Eric by the weeks end, or at least break him to the point of death. The more I sat and stewed over how cowardly the King was handling this situation, the more I wanted to stake the bastard. Hard, and repeatedly. In front of a lot of witnesses. While laughing...

_Jesus Sookie, get a hold of yourself, that's a little disturbing. _

I shook off the violent mental images and refocused my attentions. The King was in the French Quarter at the Queen's private residence. The Enigma had shown me this. That particular residence hadn't been damaged in Katrina, and Felipe enjoyed the fine furnishings the Queen had acquired over the years. Surely, Pam would know the address. I hoped at least.

When the plane touched down I was shaken back to the present with the jarring of the leather seats. I looked across the way from me and saw Pam "awaken" from her downtime. Her shades had fallen back down off her head and onto her nose. She adjusted them, recrossed her legs, folded her arms and waited for the doors to open. She had her game face back on. I had to smile. I kind of loved Pam for how kick-ass she could be without even trying. I said a silent prayer thanking her for coming with me. I needed her more than she knew.

It was amazing how efficient everyone was. The pilot had taken us to another private air space to land, the second we had come to a full and complete stop, with our seats and tray tables up, the flight attendant with the "cute ass" swing open the doors and we were ushered out. The second we were on the tarmac a sleek black sedan greeted us, complete with Chauffeur, who helped us into the back and loaded our bags into the trunk.

Within ten minutes of us landing we were back on the road. I was leaning against yet another lush leather seat, slightly stunned.

"How did you plan all this so quickly?"

"I had planned everything the night Victor requested Eric's services, in case something like this happened. It all was on standby. I have never trusted Victor."

I was shocked. "Are you serious? Did Eric know that this might happen?"

"Yes. That's why you were never told the full details of his trip. He saw threw the bogus mission he was given, and was worried that your perceptive nature would too."

"What!? Why didn't he call the King out on it?"

"He couldn't. Sookie, Eric is in a tough position. He was the only Sheriff to not have been killed after the takeover. All he wants is to be left alone. He has to handle the King delicately."

"He knowingly walked into a trap?"

"No. He only assumed. He didn't want to frighten you in case it wasn't what he suspected, but in my opinion, Eric is always right. I'm surprised it took you a day to figure it out, I expected your call last night."

I was shocked and beyond angry. I didn't know who to hate more; Eric for not telling me, or the King for being such an ardent ass hole. I decided that I'd focus my anger at the King since he was the one who took Eric away. And, after having and internal argument between Pragmatic Sookie and Emotional Wreck Sookie... Pragmatic Sookie won with the fact that Eric was only protecting me, and that when it came to vampires, the vamp with a 1000 years experience probably did know best.

I sighed and leaned back into the leather seat, covering my face with my hands, "Ugh, could this get any more confusing?"

"What's confusing?"

"Nothing. I just... I just.... I miss him Pam. He's been gone for less than a day, and I miss him. Hard."

She made a "tuh" sound, as if she were sick of talking about this. I didn't blame her, but she responded anyway. "He misses you too. It's your bond that's sending you into the throws of emotional hell. Your feelings are hightened because Eric is experiencing them as well."

I nodded, my hands still covering my eyes, " Yeah, I picked up on that."

"Would it make you feel any better if Victor accidently tripped and fell onto an uprooted tree trunk?"

She was being sarcastic but I also sensed a conviction behind her words.

"If you could pull that off, you'd be my hero for life."

Pam patted me on the head in mock affection and the car grew silent again. The only sound being the gravel under the tires and the wind blowing in through the open windows. It was surprisingly warm for the middle of November, but even if it hadn't been, I still would have kept the windows open. I needed the fresh air. Badly.

--------------------------

A/N: I'm gonna leave it at there for now. The scene coming up has got some angst to it, and I need time to make it good. I'm not a fan of writing angst, but sometimes that shits warranted, if you know what I mean.

Two updates in two days, that should sate you for a bit... right? :-)

*runs away*

*comes back* Just so I'm clear. Yes, Eric did have time to call Pam and discuss a "what if" plan while he was with Sookie. She was sleeping part of the time, as you will remember.


	25. Chapter 25: Red and Gold

When the car finally stopped, I froze.

_Shit. _

"Don't pass out on me Sookie, we're at a hotel, not the King's digs. No need to worry just yet." Pam said this in the most unreassuring tone, I'm sure she could muster. _Thanks Pam. It's your love and support that gets me through these tough times Sistah. _

I didn't say anything as we exited the car, the chauffeur offering me his gloved hand as I stepped out. I had apparently lost the ability to speak. That was fine with me though, because I feared that if I opened my mouth, I'd say something crazy.

Something like: _My viking vampire boyfriend has been kidnapped by the King of the state, who wants me to prove his connection with my fairy great grandfather! HELP! _

Somehow, I just knew that wouldn't go over well with the locals. Even New Orleans locals.

I followed Pam up an elegant marble staircase into the main foyer of an old converted chateau. It was beautiful and dripping with decadence, like most things in the French Quarter. The murals along the walls were filled with painted peacocks lounging under trees covered in spanish moss. The light purples and greens of their tail feathers cascading downward into the woodwork of the chair rail below.

I closed my eyes, too intimidated to look any further, but I tilted my head back and dared to take a peak above at the ceiling. The problem was, there wasn't one. Beyond the foyer of the hotel, where we were now standing, was actually a covered inner court yard. The three stories above us wrapped around the center room with intricate wood worked balconies. The "ceiling" was actually cut glass panels, creating a sunburst pattern with its cast iron seams. The light of the moon shown in through the clouded glass and diffused into dark shadows on the upper floors. I was amazed.

"Pam, what is this place?"

"A Hotel." She looked back over her shoulder and quirked and eyebrow. "You really don't get out much do you?" She was genuinely interested.

"I guess not."

"Well, lets make sure Eric gets a chance to change that," she said while beckoning me with her hand, "shall we?"

I gave her a grateful smile for that one. Pam could be sweet when she wanted to be.

We walked over to a small antique elevator and away from the grand main staircase. The elevator came complete with a sliding covered gate, and a its own operator. The man opened the doors for us, and asked Pam a question in French. Pam responded, "trois" and into the small space we stepped. I rolled my eyes. Of course we'd be heading up to the third floor. The ominous one hiding in the shadows under the glass. These feelings did not bode well for the night ahead of me.

Once we were in the room I finally had to break down and ask.

"Pam, what are we doing here?"

"We're not staying here long Sookie. This is merely a haven. A place to regroup. After we've retrieved Eric, he might be needing a place to rest before we head back. And besides, you never know when you'll be needing a bed." She leered at me sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes. "This is so not the time for innuendos." I stated.

"Yes, you're right." she zipped around the room quickly, too fast for my eyes to follow, even with my hightened senses from Eric's blood. It felt like a whirl wind, before she stopped right in front of me again. "Good. Time to go."

"What the... ?"

"Checking the room Sookie, making sure it's safe."

"Oh. So we just came here to check in?"

"Yes, and I was trying to give you some time to calm down. Though I see now that that it was pointless." She looked me up and down. I was still shaking a little. But really, how did she expect me to handle this? I have no idea what's going to happen._ I'm freaking out here Pam! _"Would you like to freshen up before we leave? Do whatever it is, you humans do in your bathrooms."

_Oh, smart. Yes. I had to pee! Good thinking Pam. _

I went and did my business in the bathroom while she waited outside in the hallway. When I came out, my bladder was relieved, but that was the only part of me that was. I was more nervous than ever. Part of this had to be Eric. Which of course made me even more hysterical, why would Eric be nervous? He's never nervous. _Sweet Jesus my head_.

"Close your eyes and breathe Sookie." She suggested, and I did. Before I knew it we were back in the car, heading towards what I hoped was the King's "digs" as Pam called them. I really wasn't in the mood for anymore little pit stops.

When car stopped, Pam looked over at me, before we got out, suddenly very serious. It scared the shit out of me. "I have no idea what the King has planned for you Sookie. He wants proof of some kind. He's not just going to take your word for it. This will not be... easy."

Why was she telling me this. _Fuck Pam, do you want me to start vomiting or something? _

I didn't know what to say, I simply nodded. She continued.

"Eric has been a wreck these past few months. It was because of you. He has you now, and like hell I'm going to allow his contentment to be destroyed so easily. He's a bitch when he's cranky."

Again, this wasn't helping. _Really, do I need this guilt on me right now Pam? _

"Pam, you're point?" I prompted.

"My point is, if you see an upturned tree trunk, push Victor onto it."

"That.... makes no sense Pam." I was totally confused at this point.

"Take advantage of what you can Sookie, because we're walking into the Lion's den. His weakness is his pride."

And with that the door swung open and the chauffeur's white gloved hand popped in, waiting for me to take it. I stared at it, steeling my resolve. Eric needed me. I needed him. Fuck the King and his damn cowardice.

_I'm coming Eric._

I bit the bullet, and took the chauffeur's hand; stepping out into the night.

The theme song to Indiana Jones played in my head as I walked up the steps of the King's private mansion. The one that kicks in right before he does something kick ass like, busts through a saloon door and saves Marian from that creepy dude with the burnt hand. Yeah, that one.

_Duh, du du daaa, duh du dummm.... _

I was finally loosing it, it seemed.

Both my crazy inner monologue and musical score came to an abrupt halt the second the huge wooden front doors resounded to a close with a loud thud behind me. My mouth went dry. Pam stood by my side, stoic and steady as ever. I marveled again at how still Vampires could be.

We stood for a few moments in the grand entrance hall, waiting. For what? I really didn't know. But after a few painfully silent minutes, I heard voices. They were muffled and low, but with Eric's blood still in me, I could hear the tension in them, and the anger. One belonged to Victor. I had to hold back a smile. Good, he was angry I was here. He didn't expect me to show. _Dick. _

"Hello Miss Stackhouse," he said a little too loudly as he entered the large main hall. His arms held out in mock welcome. "What a surprise it is to see you here."

"Really?" I couldn't hide the sarcasm in my voice. I was pissed.

"Yes. A surprise. To what do we owe the honor?"

"Cut the crap Victor, I'm here for Eric." Wow, okay I was really angry now. And a little bit too brazen. Eric must know I'm here. That had to be his confidence, not mine.

Victor's mask of charm fell a little bit, but he still tried to keep up the charade of his bogus civility. "Oh yes, he's here on the Kings orders." He then quickly added, "for business."

_Oh please_. I folded my arms. "What kind of business entails him being held down unwillingly with silver?"

Victors eyes flashed with anger. Vampires were very good at hiding their emotions, but when you're as big of a prick as Victor, its pretty easy to read every thought that filters across your face. Pam was silent next to me, but I saw a slight smile on her lips, out of the corner of my eye. She'd stop me if I went too far, but right now, it seemed she totally had my back. Thank God.

"The King has a condition for me I believe. The sooner you take me to him, the sooner I'll be out of your hair."

We stood silently for a minute while Victor thought over what to do with me, I assumed. I was trying to put all my concentration into him and was almost getting into his mind. I could definitely pick up on his mood, but his thoughts were still behind a locked door.

"Come with me," he said, coming to a conclusion. He turned on his heel and walked deeper into the mansion. Pam and I followed. We were lead to a staircase, leading down. I almost snickered at it. Of course we'd be heading downstairs. Dungeons, coffins and chains, oh my! Vampires could be so predictable sometimes. Not that this made me any less nervous, I cringed thinking about what they might have done to Eric.

I sped up my steps. I could feel him, he was so close to me. With our proximity growing nearer, I became more and more assured. Eric was nearby. It couldn't be all bad. Could it?

The hall at the bottom of the stairs was surprisingly bright. I was expecting brimstone and torches, but no. Gilded sconces holding lit candles decorated the cream colored walls. Okay, maybe vamps weren't so predictable. I did a double take and saw that the candles were fake. That made sense. Vampires hated fire.

At the end of the hall was a set of french doors, with clouded glass. Victor led us through them and into a large elegant space that looked like a ballroom. It was chic yet masculine. Felipe must have added his own personal touches to the place, because surely, the Queen wouldn't own 10 foot paintings of a matadors. My eyes were immediately drawn to the large curtain hangings on the far wall. The fabric was probably velvet, and the color was of course, a shade of deep red. It wasn't covering a window, we were too far down under the main house. It looked ominous to me. I didn't like it.

An identical set of curtain hangings covered the other wall across the room. Except these were a deep golden color, like honey. Victor didn't bother to offer us a seat. I didn't expect him too. He walked right behind the gold curtains and another silence fell.

I took the time to scan mentally for Eric. He was nearby. So close! I couldn't figure out where, but it had to be the next room. Our connection felt slightly blocked for some reason. Maybe the silver was weakening it? Wherever he was, I tried to reassure him that I was here, and that whatever shit was about to go down, at least we were together. I let that thought sink in. Eric was nearby. _I can do this. _

If only I knew what I had to do?

When Victor reappeared from behind the curtains holding a sword so large, it looked like he had taken it off the set of Braveheart, right out of Mel Gibson's sweaty hands, my eyes bulged. I looked over at Pam, a question clear in my eyes; _Why is he carrying that?_

----------------

A/N: *ducks* Don't pelt me with olives! Please.

I swear I'll update soon! I just had to stop it there... I did. I was going crazy, I originally wrote that last bit to take place in an underground bowling alley! WTF?

See, I need a break. Otherwise, I don't know what I'll do. For a minute there, I was gonna have them torture Eric by having him sit in the middle of silver pins, while they hurled bowling balls at his legs. That was a major WTF moment. Really? What the hell was I even thinking?

I have part of next chapter already written, it just needs some extra lovin'. It'll be up soon. I'm not putting a time on 'soon'... just soon.

p.s. No, Eric is not going to be tortured. That was never my plan. He'll just be draped in silver like I wrote earlier. I seriously went coo coo for cocoa puffs before with the bowling alley bit. Which is why I had to nip that shit in the bud.

Eric really isn't the one you should be worrying about right now anyway....

Chew on that thought.

Till next time!


	26. Chapter 26: From Behind the Curtain

**T****his has been posted on my blog for a few days, so I'm sorry it's not a real update. But to those**

**who haven't already read it... Here it is! And to those who have read it, it has been cleaned up a bit. **

**Less typos. **

A/N: Y'all are hysterical! Everyone was worried about Pam. I find that so sweet, except where was the love for Sookie? Dude, she's the one who you gotta worry about.

Alright enough of my prattling and thinly veiled warnings, on with the story!

---------------------------------

_My eyes burst open in shock. White flashes of light blurred my vision, and tears instantly stung at the corners before spilling over onto my cheeks. I tried to scream, but there was no sound. I tried to see, but I was momentarily blind from the white light. I groped the air with my outstretched hands, searching for something. Someone.... Eric. The only sense I could process outside of my pain was sound. Someone was screaming a guttural choking cry. It was violent and somewhere in the back of my mind, I processed it as a satisfying sound, but it was muffled and fading. All sensory connections to my body were fading. I was turning numb._

_This was it... I was dying. I'm sorry Niall, I know you tried. But some things I realized, you're just not meant to survive. _

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ten minutes earlier I had found myself in the strange hall with the gold and red curtains on opposite walls. The King and Victor had appeared from behind the gold curtain, and when it came time to see what was behind curtain number two I was relieved. It was Eric.

My relief didn't last long.

The red curtain had been lined with a fabric weaved with silver. It created a total wall of blockage from me to him, hence my murky assumptions as where he was before. It also served as an extra prevention from him escaping. Victor walked over and gingerly pulled the long ropes to separate the curtains to relieve Eric sitting behind them. In an old wing backed chair with small silver chains draped about him, as if he were some macabre christmas tree. His head was bowed, weakened from the constant strain of the metal touching his beautiful skin. His hair was messy and had fallen into his eyes and down around his shoulders. Covering his strong, elegant face from view.

"Eric," I said, no louder than a whisper. His head shot up with the only energy he had left and smiled. I ran to him and sat at his silver bound feet. We were together again. Everything would be fine.

Oh, how naive I still was.

I heard the click of boot heals on the marble floor approaching as I rested my head on Eric's lap. Rubbing my hands along his thighs to sooth him. I had missed him so much and it had only be a day. I closed my eyes and hugged him for dear life. Eric's voice was weak when he said, "That desperate to get all up on my jock again, woman? You're un-satiable." He tried to manage a chuckle, and so did I, but it was difficult, his voice sounded so far off. So pained.

I had to smile though, I couldn't help it. Leave it to Eric to make a joke at a time like this. I held him tighter, wanting to rip off the silver chains desperately, but scared to give the King any reason to harm us.

Someone was clapping above us, I opened my eyes and turned in the direction of the noise. It was the King. He sighed with a condescending smile.

"Ah, young love. How I enjoy to see it bloom." He put his hands over his dead un-beating heart and closed his eyes. I wanted to slap his face. Hard.

"What do you want from me?" I asked him sharply; wanting to skip directly to the end of this whole mess as fast as possible.

"I want proof Sookie, that is all. Just proof." He spoke softly to me, in his heavy spanish accent. All of his charm was lost on me now. He was just full on creepy, and I hated him for putting Eric through so much unnecessary pain and uncertainty. Bastard.

"Fine. Lets get to it. I'd like to be home for Thanksgiving."

He chuckled at that and then said, "very well. Victor, you may proceed any way you wish." The King walked away then as Victor stepped into my view.

Eric immediately started to struggle against the restraints of the silver, thrashing his head wildly back and forth. I stood up, extremely on edge, why was he reacting to violently to this? I put my hands on either side of his head and stared into his eyes, trying to calm him. What I saw in them chilled me.

Eric's eyes were rimmed with red. I had never seen him cry in the years that I had known him. He hurriedly communicated to me through our connection of Victor's intended plan to prove my supposed immortality.

The sword was for me.

_Oh god. _

I closed my eyes, my hands still cupping Eric's face. His shook his head again, gaining my attention and I opened my eyes once more. He wouldn't speak, I wasn't supposed to know what was going to happen. He surged me with as much reassurance and strength as possible, but it was mixed with feelings of love and manic fear and merely made me want to cry. I took it in though. Determined. We could get through this.... I hoped.

"Sookie," Victor prompted, "if you could stand in the middle of the room for me please."

I nodded my head, still staring into Eric's scared face. I kissed him on the lips, breathing into his mouth the words, "I love you," before turning away, never meaning it more than right then, but I had to let him go. If I kept on staring at all the fear I saw in his eyes I would have chickened out. And this _sooo_ wasn't the time to chicken out. If this is what they wanted, so be it.

_Great Grandfather, please.... I don't know what to ask, but please... _

I didn't know what to ask of him or who to pray to, this was definitely out of God's hands. I assumed that when my lifeline was altered it was so that I wouldn't age or sicken. Not to survive drastic violent acts against my body. And what ever Victor was planning with that sword was not going to be docile or simple. It wasn't like he was going to Knight me for fun.

This was a leap of faith. Faith in my great grandfather, and faith in Eric. Every pragmatic nerve in my body screamed for me to run. Flee, get as far away, as fast as I could. But that of course was useless. The vampires would have me down in two seconds, and I'd be done. It would also mean that I was a coward, and I was no coward. "Lead by your own example," my Gran would always say, and this was it. I was being brave and facing my fears. _Take that Felipe, you bastard! _ If I could have given him a good kick in the balls, I would have.

As I walked to the center of the room, to stand in front of Victor, I heard Eric growling from his seat. The King walked over to him with a smile on his face and pulled the rope holding the red curtains back. They fell down in a sweeping motion hiding him from view and Eric roared with anger. The King merely laughed. Surely all this trepidation about what was going to happen to me, meant to him that I'd not survive. He was already tasting victory, and I almost couldn't blame him.

I wasn't feeling too confident at that moment.

When I was finally standing in front of Victor, perfectly centered between the gold and red curtains I spoke. "I don't want to see whatever it is you're going to do to me Victor," I spat at him. "I'm closing my eyes." I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear.

"Oh, I'll tell you what I'm planning on doing Miss Sookie. I plan on impaling your heart with this sword." He lifted it up for me to see more closely, it still looked like Mel Gibson's. Just older and cruder. "Do you know who's it is?"

I didn't, but I could have ventured a guess and it scared me. I wanted to be a smart ass and just say Braveheart's but instead I said, "Who's?" taking the bait.

"Eric's," I winced. "I thought it symbolic you know. He always wanted your heart it seemed, and now he'll have it, in two pieces." Eric roared once again from behind the curtain. He seemed to have lost the ability to form words, his animalistic anger having taken over. My stomach turned and I wanted to vomit. This douche bag was creative and sadistic. I held back and urge to spit in his face and say _"Bring it bitch!" _

Instead I opted for, "Whatever Victor," and I opened my arms, holding them out in a defenseless position and closed my eyes. I didn't say anything else. I just waited. I didn't trust my voice at that point not to crack and closing my eyes kept the tears at bay. I felt Pam come up behind me, taking a protective stance at my side.

"May I offer a counter condition?" Pam asked the King.

"If you wish. You are Eric's second, are you not?"

"You know who I am." I kept my eyes closed, but would have bet anything that Pam had rolled hers. She continued, "Sookie is Eric's bonded and chosen mate. If she dies, he will suffer a great deal. Clearly, an eye for an eye is warranted in this case?"

"So it would seem," the King said, his accent becoming more pronounced with his rising agitation.

"If Sookie dies, I ask, as Eric's "second", to have the right to kill Victor."

After a long pause in which the only noise was Eric's growls and the only thing I could feel was Victor's shock, the King spoke.

"Hmm, that does seem to be a fair condition," he said.

"But my King," Victor started, worry evident in his voice. At that I had enough, I really didn't want to hear that bitch beg.

_Like, come on... "_Hey!" I shouted. "Look! I am trying my best not to pass out here from stress! I don't have time to listen to you three bicker. If I croak, then Pam gets to kill Victor. Good?" I looked back and forth between the King and Pam, ignoring Victor's stunned face as they slowly nodded in agreement. "Great. Now! Lets just get this over with!" And I closed my eyes once more and opened my arms. I realized how much of a martyr stance I was taking, after the fact. I didn't want to go for that much melodrama but its not like you ever really plan these kinds of things.

When I had closed my eyes again, time stopped. Something was blurring into my vision from behind my eyelids and I strained to "see" it more clearly. As it came into focus, I saw the face of my Great Grandfather. He was still as beautiful and elegant as I remembered, and smiling from ear to ear. He was the picture of serenity. It calmed me and every nerve in my body relaxed. I let the feeling wash over me as if I were floating in a pool of warm, soothing water. _Thank you Niall_, I thought. I embraced the warm illusion happy to have the moment of peace.

It wast the calm before the storm.

When I finally smiled back at the vision of my great grandfather behind my eyelids; I felt it. The hot sting of pain so strong it knocked the wind out of me. Victor wasn't lying, the concentration of the pain was in my upper left chest. Directly into my heart.

My eyes burst open in shock. White flashes of light blurred my vision, and tears instantly stung at the corners before spilling over onto my cheeks. I tried to scream, but there was no sound. I tried to see, but I was momentarily blind from the white light. I groped the air with my outstretched hands, searching for something. Someone.... Eric. The only sense I could process outside of my pain was sound. Someone was screaming a guttural choking cry. It was violent and somewhere in the back of my mind, I processed it as a satisfying sound, but it was muffled and fading. All sensory connections to my body were fading. I was turning numb.

This was it... I was dying. _I'm sorry Niall, I know you tried..._ But some things I realized, you're just not meant to survive.

I felt my body collapse beneath me, and my vision finally went black. I think my eyes were open, but I really couldn't feel anything. The pain had left and so did all my senses. I was nothing but a brain wave in a void of blackness.

...A brainwave that was hearing things. I cringed away from it. Why, why was this noise penetrating my death?

It was that scream. That shaking violent scream. I hated it, I wanted it to go away. But it persisted and I realized I could feel myself curling up. I could feel my arms and and my legs and I hugged them to me, forcing myself into a ball. Natural instincts taking over.

_Why is it so loud?_

I tried to back away from it, but it wouldn't stop. Somewhere, something told me to open my eyes and I obeyed.

I wasn't dead.

I was on the floor.

Pam was leaning over me, her hands lying on my shoulder and hip. She had told me to open my eyes, and I didn't know why until I saw what was in front of me.

Victor. He was the one who had been screaming. His body was flailing about in contorting, screeching pain. The King was behind him, his mouth open in shock. The sword in Victor's hand was vibrating and pulsing. I could see the magic in the air around it, working over time.

It was killing Victor... Slowly and painfully. I couldn't take it much longer.

I stood up and without thinking shouted, "NIALL!"

Everything went silent. A second later my Great Grandfather stepped out from behind the Red curtains. They had parted magically of their own accord. Eric was glowing and perfect at his side; standing at his full height. The silver chains, gone, as if they had been a bad dream.

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A/N: I know, I know, another cliff hanger. Go ahead, pelt away. *holds up bucket* Here! I'll start collecting them. My sister loves olives! :-)

I know I've been saying that I will update Northman's soon, but I really just need to get this story out of my system first. I'm gonna try and work on a new chapter today, but sometimes you just gotta go with the flow. Ya know?

*Stewie voice* Well, even if you don't, that's how I roll. Deal.

EDIT: That shit was written back on saturday.... I've now just been through two days of withdrawls, during which all I could manage to do to sooth my shaky ass hands was to sketch. So, in other words.....

I have no other words. Damn.

I'll go work on Northman's now! how about that? Ta!


	27. Chapter 27: Realization

A/N: This took a helluva long time. I know, I'm sorry. Things happen. Like life. I know... I hate it too.

Enough stalling, Niall and Eric just appeared from behind the red curtain... step back bitches! Lets get down to business!

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The silence was peaceful. I struggled to stay erect as I took in the sight before me. Pam put a steading hand on my shoulder. Bless her.

Niall was gracefully making his way over to where were we standing. Eric mirrored his steps. His eyes were on me and held a strange combination of emotions, I didn't notice right away. When Niall reached me, he didn't say anything, he just simply took me into his arms and held me for a good long minute, humming contentedly in my ear as he did. We had never been affectionate like this, and it simultaneously felt very loving and foreign. I was weak and shaky on my legs still, but Niall held me up, supporting my weight. He kissed the top of my forehead a minute later and released me, smiling. His kiss held the same strange feelings of the Enigma's, like cool flowing water.

When Niall had pulled away completely from me, I heard a sharp intake of breath come from Eric. My eyes immediately shifted focus to his and watched as they raked over my body in purposeful concern. I was confused, and stepped towards him, wanting to feel his strong hands hold me. Wanting simply to feel him. The shock of seeing my great grandfather appear from nowhere had warn off, and now my only thought was to envelop myself in Eric's arms.

Everything was still in suspended animation. Victor silently thrashed at our feet in slow motion while the King looked like he was catching flies over in the corner. Niall was smiling slightly as he took in the sight of me trying to hug Eric with all my might, and him holding my shoulders so as to keep me a certain distance away from him, as he stared at my chest. It really wasn't the appropriate time, what with my great grandfather standing right next to us and all.

"Eric..." I prompted, "What are you doing?"

"Did you heal her?" He asked Niall in a strained voice, instead of responding to me. His eyes were fierce and his hands were shaking as he held my shoulders. I struggled to get close to Eric once again, but he held me off, even with his shaky hands. I didn't care what he was asking Niall, my priority was being connected to Eric fully again. In every way possible. I wasn't dead. I was breathing and standing, and Eric was right in front of me. Why on earth wasn't he embracing me?

_Seriously, there is thing called 'missed opportunity' Eric, you're having one right now!_

"Eric!" I scolded, but he simply looked to Niall for the answer he was seeking. Niall was just smiling back and forth between us. Truth be told, he looked slightly high. His eyes were glazed over and held a goofy child like expression. He looked so much like a hippie in that moment, with his long flowing hair and embroidered baggy robes.

My brain must have been operating on a lower level. Hippies and hugs, that's all I could think of. _I need a vacation_, I thought.

"Yes, Eric," he finally spoke up and said in his musical tenor of a voice. "She is perfectly sound now, and will be for quiet a long time." He smiled at Eric a genuine smile, not the goofy child like one from before, and Eric's hands stopped shaking on my shoulders. Instead they held me tighter, with purpose and certainty.

Eric's chest swelled with joy, or maybe just air I didn't know which, but the next second when he crushed me to him I knew that I had gotten the wind nocked out of me by his force. Eric had wrapped himself around me so tight I thought my ribs would bruise! Oddly enough I didn't care. This is what I had wanted. This is what I had craved. That undeniable contact I had been denied the past two days.

"It's... about... time!" I struggled to yell into his ear, but it came out a muffled whisper considering my lack of lung capacity at that moment. Eric pulled away again and I whimpered from the loss of his pressure.

He looked at me, searching for something in my eyes, I didn't know what. "Sookie, don't you realize what just happened?"

I thought for a moment. The only thing I had realized in the past several minutes that had happened, was that Eric and my great grandfather appeared here in front of me. That's all that really mattered.

"Yes Eric, your safe. The silver chains are gone, and Niall is here. That's all." Why was he bugging me with silly questions? And why were we still in this hall?

Eric's jaw was straining with tension, he loosed his grip on one of my shoulders, "No Sookie, look down, who is that?" He pointed to Victor thrashing in slow motion at my feet. I stared at him, cocking my head to side like a curious puppy would. Why was he down there? What was he holding?

"Sookie" my great grandfather said, and I looked up at him. A series of images went crashing through my brain, knocking the wind out of me once again.

_"One condition"..._

_The King's laughter..._

_Eric draped in silver..._

_Red... pain..._

_Eric growling with anger..._

_Gold... laughter..._

_The sword..._

_Victor's glare, his plan... _

_Roaring.... red..._

_The pierce of the metal..._

_The burn of the blade...._

_pain... blackness... void... screaming... Red...._

If realizations were accompanied by noises, this one would have been paired with the blast of a gun being fired.

"Holy Shit!" I exclaimed, realizing that I had been stabbed with Eric's ancient sword by the bastard himself, Victor. It was still there. The sword, still stuck in his hands, glowing white hot as it burned his marble skin. I couldn't hold the urge back anymore, I kicked him.

"Bastard!" I kicked him again, even though my foot stung and I was sure I'd break my bones, "That hurt you ass!" Eric and Pam both half snorted.

"She _is_ back to normal," Eric stated and hugged me to him again, before I could continue with my tirade on the slow motion form of Victor. The second he held me again, I lost all conviction and just melting into his arms. I was beat. Tired and soar. And shit, my foot did hurt. I broke down and started to cry. All of my emotions it seemed were on the surface tonight, begging to burst forward and be heard. I felt like a child, crying into Eric's arms, but I couldn't help it. There's only so much a girl can take.

Eric was speaking with Niall as I had my cry out. "Thank you Niall. I'm.... sorry I didn't have complete faith in you. I should have known." Eric's voice was hard, he still had pride. This was hard for him, to apologize to my great grandfather. I smiled into his chest as I choked out a sob.

"Apology accepted Eric. I understand. You should know now, Sookie will always be protected by more than magic and her fae ancestry. Victor was a fool to have tried to harm her." I peeked my head out from Eric's chest at that. Niall's voice had turned hard. He was staring down at Victor with disgust in his eyes. It frightened me.

"Is that really your sword?" I asked Eric. He nodded back down at me, his jaw was clenched so tight I feared he'd break his teeth. The muscles contorted as he moved his head up and down. I hugged him tighter, I knew he was thinking of me dying at the hand of his own weapon. I could sense his inner struggle, though I didn't know how to ease him. I was alive, and in his arms. Hopefully that'd be enough.

Niall, as if guessing what Eric was thinking said, "Victor thought it would be symbolic to harm our Sookie with your sword Eric, but on the contrary, he made it worse on himself. That weapon has been with you for centuries, it would never betray you. Like Excalibur, it will only yield to its owner."

A silence fell as Eric took that in. A small smile appeared on the corner of his mouth when he looked again on the thrashing form of Victor. I mirrored his satisfaction.

_Take that, bitch._

"Perhaps we should take our leave now?" Pam piped up from the outside of the little bubble Niall had created around us. I agreed with her whole heartedly. I wanted nothing more than to be gone from this strange hall with the gold and red curtains. I wanted this horrid night to be nothing but a bad nightmare. The sooner we left, the sooner I could try and forget it, and focus on the future. One that would be filled with good memories and most importantly, Eric.

"Yes," Niall said. His eyes were back to their glazed over high state, he waved an arm at us as if to say 'go on.' "Please, head back to the hotel. I will finish up here."

Eric didn't wait to be told twice. He scooped me up and walked as briskly as his long legs could take him, out the door and up the stairs to the main hall, without actually taking flight. Pam was right behind us.

Everyone was in suspended animation upstairs as well, like the King and Victor had been downstairs. Niall's spell had been cast over the entire estate it seemed. The butler was no where to be seen, and the guards at the front gate were stiffer than the Queen's at Buckingham Palace. They might as well have been statues.

No one stopped us.

We were free.

The only thing that disturbed our blissful silence was the sound of a strangled cry. It echoed throughout the estate as we moved to get in the car. Everyone paused and looked back at the glowing chateau. It's decadently gothic facade smiled contentedly back at us; a Mona Lisa, giving away none of her secrets.

It didn't matter, we all knew. Victor was dead.

The warm bayou air swirled around my face and I closed my eyes; too relieved to even smile.

------------------------

A/N:

I'm ending it here. Before you scream! Remember kiddies, _bowling allies._ I need to stop before crazy shit happens .... everything that follows will be blissfully free of angst and danger. Don't fret. And of course, Eric and Sookie are reunited.... Eric's favorite past time is cuddling. *cough*

Expect some affection.

Oh! And Thanksgiving! LOL. Happy Turkey Day bitches! See you soon!

p.s. That is of course _after_ I do the Eric POV for this chapter. Don't you want to know what he was thinking behind that curtain? I sure as hell do.


	28. Chapter 28: Freedom

A/N: Well this bitch was a long time coming.

I am utterly peeved at myself for not having an update to y'all by St. Paddy's day! *curses the heavens*

Mostly I just wanted to be able to write this in an a/n:

HAPPY ST. PADDY'S DAY BITCHES!

Yah, so that dream went up in smoke the second I realized that I was going to be going out on St. Paddy's night. We went to a pub, listened to this crazy awesome mixture of live irish/regga music with a hint of Beastie Boys thrown in, and I drank like the Irish ass hole that I am! It was fan-fuckin-tastic. *sigh*

Anywho, I have a shoutout for y'all. **S. Meadows** helped me out with chapter, being my second set of (sober) eyes. *kisses Meads* And! As if I couldn't love her enough for her insightful suggestions, she also pointed out to me that 'creeped' is not in fact a word, and that 'crept' is. WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME THIS BEFORE? *face palm, head desk*

Alright, enough of me ramblin'.... on with the chapter!

psst... it's Eric's POV. As promised.

---------------------------

When the curtains parted and I saw Sookie before me, everything was perfectly tranquil for a single moment. Sookie didn't waste a second. She flew towards me, moving faster than her normal human frame normally would allow - thanks to my blood - and kneeled at my feet, concern written all over her face. Throwing her head into my lap and soothingly rubbing my arms and thighs, carefully avoiding the delicate areas where the silver touched. I could feel her itching to want to remove the chains draped about me, but like the smart girl that she was, she knew that that would only anger the king, and kept still on my lap. Aching for the closeness we had been denied in the past hours that had last too long.

All too soon she was forcing herself to leave me, at the King's request. I had told her what horrors I believed she was going to have to endure through our connected gazes, and she stood, resolute and strong before me. Taking what was dealt her and not complaining. My girl had grown up in a series of hours. She bent down to breathe into my mouth that she loved me and I couldn't agree with her more. Emotionless control be damned, I loved her too. Utterly. She moved to stand, and I ached with the thought that I might loose this girl tonight. It paralyzed me as she ripped her lips away from mine, and with a final swish of blonde hair was standing in front of Victor, her arms out, her jaw set. That was the last sight I saw before I heard the pull of a rope.

The curtains fell before me at the hands of the King and I roared in protest. Shocked that I could no longer see Sookie.

_How dare he!_ My mind went numb, and I suddenly felt a whole lot younger than I was. An emotion I associated with silly spoiled children and helpless disappointed romantics filled me; _hatred_.

There is something all consuming about hatred, it is a ruthless poison that can eat away at your rapidly. When the final cascade of the curtains collided in front of my face, I had no choice, and I let it overtake me. Any control I had left over my most basic instincts had ceased.

Having emotions that strong can drive you mad. I've never liked it, and rarely allowed them to take hold.

Yet there I sat, willingly bound down by the vicious stinging metal that glowed with heat as it connected with my chilled skin. I growled like a feral animal at the dark shapes of the curtains in front of me. The bane of my undead existence, my love, and my sole reason for being; Sookie Stackhouse, was somewhere on the other side, and I couldn't do a thing to protect her. I hated being helpless. But in that moment, I hated everything. My mind was clouded, and I was lost to the poison that overtook it.

I hated myself for being so stupid as to willingly walk into a trap like this.

I hated Victor for being such an ardent and arrogant ass!

I hated the King for his cowardice and blatant disrespect against me, his loyal subject and my mate.

I hated the damn red curtains in front of me, that were lined with silver and blocked Sookie's connection to me slightly.

And I _hated _the stupid Matador paintings that hung in this insipid hall. The King had no taste.

I simply... _hated_.

I was broken out of my inner dialogue when I heard Victor. He had my sword in his hands - having taken it out of mine at my arrival, _bastard_. He was literally going to pierce Sookie's heart with my weapon. Vampires could seriously be sick fucks when they put their minds to it. I felt her mentally recoil at the thought and I lost all rationality.

I roared again, loud and animalistic; probably frightening Sookie further. Off in the distance I heard the King chuckle at my pain, and I growled in the direction of the noise. They were rejoicing over the possible death of my beloved. I was so consumed with anger, I couldn't even form words.

I sat there and seethed, foam actually pooling at the corners of my mouth. I was a rabid, shackled animal. I felt like I might self combust from it all. There was a burning in my gut that slowly crept into my extremities. Numbing the pain from the silver but bringing on an entirely new sense....

_Foreboding._

I could _feel_ Sookie's fear, hatred, and intimidation. What scared me the most was that I could feel her resignation to life as well. She was preparing herself for death. My body and our connection lashed out at that defeat, willing it to cease. She was trying to put on a strong face, send me calming vibrations even, but it was all a facade. Even to herself she was lying.

The muscles in my neck strained as I tried to move, feeling the silver cut deeper into the tendons, and as my feet started to twitch with the need to go and save her, the silver simply burned through the fabric of my jeans, and seared the skin it found there. _Fuck._

All I could process was... why was Sookie giving up? Didn't she know she'd be protected? Niall had said... Didn't she realize this was not her time? Her time wouldn't come for centuries if I had my way. Her negativity and full on defeatist attitude frightened me, and made me second guess my certainty. This is what emotions do to you, make you second guess yourself. This was not me, I _had_ to get it together. If anything, for Sookie.

I was snapped out of my inner dialogue once again when I heard it. A sharp intake of breath as the sword breeched the smooth, soft surface of her skin. She didn't cry out, merely strained raggedly with her breathing as the sword, no doubt pierced her lung as well. Destroying its capacity for air. I could almost feel it collapse inside me.

A determined pain of my own started to seep its way into me. I knew this feeling; it had simply lay dormant in me for all these years. It was the sinking agony of loosing her. _Her_, my bonded, my soulmate, my own. This is how I felt when _she_ had died, and now here, in this hall, I was feeling it again. Too soon.

_Too fucking soon..._

Nerve endings started to break and twist in my arms and legs, my gut swelled with blood and red tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. The dead organ in my chest contorted and wrenched as I started shaking from the terror of it all. If I was experiencing this loss of connection, Sookie must have been dying. These were her symptoms, not mine.

My head shot back in pain and I coughed out blood. It spilled onto my face and down my neck, searing against the silver in protest. I tried to inhale breaths, and nothing came, I merely choked on the blood pooling in the back of my throat. I didn't need the air but Sookie did, she wasn't breathing and my body was trying to compensate for her lack of oxygen.

I had been shaking so violently from it all that I hadn't heard the screams from out in front of the curtain. They were low and guttural, no where near the pitch or tone of my Sookie's southern alto. That couldn't have been her?

I heard the clang of a heavy metal object hit the parquet floor, and knew my sword had dropped out from its plunged state in Sookie's chest. I heard it shaking and felt the vibrations of the metal under my feet on the floorboards. Enlightenment came as I realized who had been holding the ancient weapon.

Victor was seizing. Victor was issuing those strangled cries.

My head fell forward with another spasm and I watched as blood poured from my mouth onto my jeans. My mouth hurt and wouldn't close, as if I had been purging myself, but I was breathing! The breaths were coming in sharp, fast intakes, but they were there. Realization hit and my head shot up as a cool, firm hand touched my shoulder.

_Sookie wasn't gone!_ I could hear Pam whispering to her. Telling her to open her eyes.

Things went into overdrive the next second. I turned my head to find the owner of the cool hand resting on me, and saw Niall. I couldn't hide my smile at his appearance. With it came an overwhelming sense of relief. I didn't quiet know why until Niall looked down at my lap and my eyes followed.

The blood was gone. So were the chains! I sprung up exact second Sookie's voice boomed throughout the hall.

"NIALL!" She knew he was here too! Overwhelmed didn't cover it.

He parted the curtains in a burst of white light and I was free. Stepping out from my red prison, into the center of the floor. My shoulders felt lighter than ever and my arms swung unrestrained at my sides. The cuts of the silver were no where to be seen, and the aches in me were all gone.

All but one.

Niall embraced Sookie before I could get to her, but like hell I was going to interrupt their happy moment. I knew how important family was to Sookie, and how little she had. Seeing her Great Grandfather embrace her like that made me overjoyed for her. I only hopped that he wasn't hurting her. My fingers twitched to get a hold of her as fast as possible. I wanted to heal her, make her whole again. Immediately.

When her eyes locked with mine she smiled. The calm and serenity in her gaze amazed me. Wasn't she in pain?

She moved to hold me but I held her at a distance, holding her shoulders gently but firmly, assessing the damage that needed to be fixed.

There was none.

I was shocked.

Apparently so was Sookie, she said my name twice before I even acknowledged her. Even then, I didn't address her, instead I looked towards Niall, baffled. _Did he... _

"Did you heal her?"

Niall smiled a knowing smile, which gave me my answer before he could even speak. He explained to both Sookie and I exactly how well she was protected, and exactly how big of a power-hungry jackass Victor was for trying to use my own weapon against me. Victor had obviously never been a pagan. _Idiot._

I couldn't think about that now though, all I could even begin to process was Sookie. That she was safe, sound, and healthy, and would be for a long, long time. I crushed her too me, probably with too much force and she breathed out some silly statement about time. That was something we never had to worry about luckily.

I held her to me for a full minute before realizing that this was wrong; she was too detached, too controlled. I looked at her, more concerned than before. Her body and self were fine, but was her mind?

"Sookie, don't you realize what just happened?"

"Yes, Eric, you're safe. The silver chains are gone, and Niall is here. That's all." She responded with a confused but pleasant smile on her face. She was just happy to be near me, and as much as that thrilled me to no end, I was still concerned. Did she not remember what just happened?

I told her to look down and she seemed bewildered at the image of Victor at our feet, moving in slow motion as the pain overtook him and coursed through his veins. Niall spoke up then and like I had done so many times before in the past few days, he sent images into her head and I saw the realization hit her eyes.

"Holy Shit!" She shouted. Pam and I snorted, we couldn't help it. My girl was hilarious. She yelled, "Bastard!" at the floor and started kicking Victor. She was too adorable in her furry.

"She _is _back to normal," I stated mostly to myself, before I took her into my arms, hoping she wouldn't round on me and start kicking. Not that I wouldn't enjoy it on some level, I loved Sookie the most when she was feisty.

----------------------

In the chauffeured car, Sookie's head rested on my lap. It reminded me of another evening, that ended not quiet as well, but in similar circumstances. Except this time, she didn't pull away. I stroked her straw colored hair, and gently hummed to her, lulling her to sleep. I knew she needed rest, she would also probably be needing food.

She had been so brave today, and so utterly grown up. _My stubborn girl had practically sacrificed herself for me tonight_.

My apology to Niall, for not having complete faith in him was a difficult, but an absolutely necessary one. I too, had to let go of some of my stubborn nature and give in to the fact that he had saved Sookie. He had protected her. He had also given me my happiness by allowing Sookie to stay with me, without me having to turn her. It was the best of both worlds, and I owed more to Niall than I cared to even think.

As if he hadn't done enough for us already, just as we were entering the car, I heard the scream that singled the end to Victor's undead life. No doubt he was putting the king in line as we drove along the windy streets of the French Quarter as well.

I hated to admit it, but Niall was pretty bad ass. I would gladly fight along side him if he ever needed me.

I also hated to admit that after Niall had hugged Sookie he left an overwhelming scent of fae on her skin, and now that my concern for her safety had been sated, another more primal want was growing inside of me. Lust.

Her head was on my lap and I stirred restlessly, trying to keep my 'gracious plenty' as she called it, from poking her inappropriately in the ear, or back of the head. Talk about a rude awakening.

Pam snickered from the opposite corner of the car. I gave her a death glare. _This is not the time Pam._

Then again, I should have been telling myself that. I was getting too worked up for having an exhausted Sookie on my lap. _Not the appropriate time Eric, calm the fuck down._

"She does smell intoxicating, doesn't she?"

Pam was baiting me, and she knew it. I groaned and let my head fall back onto the leather seat of the sedan. "Not. Helping..." I growled out, and Pam laughed from her seat. I shot her one final look, and that shut her up. I was clearly too easy on her sometimes.

"I'm making you clean the toilets at Fangtasia when we get back home for that remark," I said with my eyes closed and my head still resting on the back of the seat.

"It was worth it to see your face," Pam shot back. _Oh no she didn't._ I felt a smile form on my lips.

"Don't test me girl."

She didn't. Thankfully.

The rest of the ride was silent, with only Sookie's soft murmurs of sleep breaking the car of its silence. I focused again on petting her hair, soothing her as she slept. Unlike vampires, humans could wake so easily from their dreams, I hoped Sookie's were pleasant. I'd have to wake her soon, and I would claim no responsibilities for my actions after that.

Sookie shifted in my lap after that thought escaped me, and I saw her smile slightly in her sleep. A wicked grin crossed my face at her reaction.

_Oh yes Sookie, sleep well now. It's the only rest you'll be getting tonight if I can help it. _

---------------

A/N: I hope that went well. I forced myself to write most of this, and you know how much I hate to not let this shit just flow.

*sigh* Wanna know what kept me sane in order to finish this chapter? "Sweet Thing" by Van Morrison. Listen to that, its perfect and shit is it fabulous!

Anywho, tell me what you thought. Hopefully y'all liked it.

p.s. the "my girls" made and appearance in this chapter. Not intentionally, but sometimes a little motown is just warranted. :-)


	29. Chapter 29: Home First Play Later

A/N: Just a little quickie sip o' citrus for you. I let this sit too long, hopefully I'll be able to wind it up soon. Sorry for the wait.

---------------

**Sookie**

I woke up on a toile bedspread to the sound of Pam and Eric bickering in harsh low whispers. They were speaking so fast, it sounded more like a constant hissing between two rather agitated rattle snakes. Not very lulling.

There was a throw blanket draped over me, and my initial reaction was to simply sink down lower into the mattress, snuggling around the warm lush fabrics. But, I found out as soon as I tried to move that everything ached. _Everything._

_Hello! Ouch. _

My head was swimming with information from the night's events that all seemed dreamlike and unreal. It throbbed with it all. My body felt like I had been used as a punching bag for a professional boxer to take his pre-match stress out on, and the inside of my chest actually stung.

My back was facing the two vampires, but almost immediately after I had realized this, I wanted to turn over. To face Eric. To look at him and make sure that those horrible gashes from the silver had actually disappeared. I wanted to see that he was actually here, and that everything that I had happened prior to me waking up wasn't just some horrible nightmare with a happy ending.

I tried to roll, but my sore muscles screamed in protest and I whimpered in pain. The hissing conversation behind me ceased instantly, and Eric was by my side before I could even finish exhaling. I felt the bed indent and a strong arm come over me, helping me turn onto my back so I could see him better.

"Sookie," Eric started, with a mixture of relief and joy on his face, quickly turning to concern. "I need to give you some blood when you feel up to it." He was being extra gentle with my sore body as he spoke, and I was grateful.

"How long have I been sleeping?" I asked, ignoring his previous statement.

"Not long. We only got to the hotel about 20 minutes ago." He smiled, but his eyes were still burning with concern for me. It was sweet really. I loved that he cared so much, but a more pressing matter perked my interest.

"I'm in a bed, in a hotel, with you, and I'm still clothed? Eric your reputation is slipping."

He laughed, but stopped when he saw me wince from the movement of the bed his laughter had caused. Still, he answered. "Sookie, I have never taken a women against her will. I have never needed to. Sleeping with someone while they were literally sleeping? Not my thing."

It was my turn to chuckle but it caused the stinging in my chest to almost sear. I saw Eric's chest contort slightly and wondered if he felt it too. The look in his eye when he saw my pain confirmed it. He had.

"You need blood Sookie." Eric said again. It wasn't a suggestion this time, it was an order. Somewhere in the back of my head, the little girl inside of me stomped her foot and folded her arms. Never liking to be told what to do.

I didn't have the patience for her anymore, I was in pain and Eric was willing to help. I pushed her energy zapping child-like reactions aside and lifted up onto my elbows, scooting up the bed as best I could. The last thing I needed right now was to choke while drinking down my man's blood. That wouldn't be very lady like, now would it?

"So obedient..." Eric noted with an arched eyebrow. I stared him down immediately.

"I'm in pain buddy, don't get too used to it."

He laughed again and then carefully scooped me up, depositing me in between his legs as he splayed them out on the bed, while taking up a seated position behind me; resting his back against the headboard. Déja vu didn't begin to cover it.

"Before you two get all hot and heavy on each other, I'm going to go be productive and check us out. Or slit my wrists. Either one." Pam said as she glided through the room towards the door. Locking it behind her when she exited.

Eric ignored her. I heard him bite his wrist and then brought it in front of me, holding it close to my lips. I gazed for a second at the red liquid threatening to drip down his pale arm, wondering how my life had somehow gotten to this point?

With an accepting sigh, I took his arm into my hands. I clammed down on his wrist and drew in the blood almost greedily, one long pull after the other. Eric's rather tense body relaxed with each pull I took, and I heard his head touch the wall as he sank further into the bed. His free hand came to rest on my thigh, and his thumb massaged circles into it.

It eased the achy muscles in my leg and I moaned happily at his attentions. The longer I drank from him, the more I felt him grow and harden behind me. I almost laughed. It was of course, inevitable.

When he started to slowly rock his hips in a languid rhythm, turning my body on like a light bulb, I knew it was time to stop. I was out of breath and felt slightly stoned. I could feel Eric's blood working through my body to ease my sore muscles and heal the pain in my chest. My head lolled back, coming to rest on Eric's shoulder as I sank into his chest dropping my hands limply at my sides. Utterly spent.

I watched Eric lick the wounds on his wrist gingerly. He was moving slowly, and his eyes were closed. Each little lick looking more sensual than the last. So much so, that I found myself envying his hand. When he was done he let it come to rest on my other thigh, mirroring his attentions he was giving my other leg.

There we sat, for several long minutes, slowing rocking with each other, as Eric's hands worked their magic massaging my thighs. My body was buzzing with sensation and I felt the air humming with the strange electricity that only a few days ago Eric and I had experienced in my own bedroom back home.

It was building, demanding attention and so was the ache between my legs.

"Eric," I said, even though it was barely above a whisper. He knew what I wanted and moved his hands towards the button of my jeans about a millisecond after I said his name.

"Silly clothes," I said as he undid them. Eric's blood had certainly given me a high. I was mellow and hyper all at the same time. My words came out slurred though, as if I were drunk. Eric laughed lightly at my little statement, and nuzzled my ear with his nose.

I squirmed in his arms and he hissed in appreciation of the friction that it caused.

"We can't do this now Sookie," he said in my ear and I laughed, thinking he was joking. Eric? Not wanting sex? Come on.

"I'm serious. We only have so many hours left before dawn, and I need to get you back to Bon Temps for Thanksgiving." He was trying to be serious, but I could see the slight smirk on the corner of his lips.

"Screw Thanksgiving Eric," I said, still feeling the high from his blood and the buzzing of our touching, electrified bodies.

"I don't want to. I want to screw you. Repeatedly, for many many hours. Without interruptions." He said, his voice dropping lower with each word. As he spoke, I could practically feel the wetness growing between my legs. The entire time we were discussing to screw, or not to screw, his hands had been teasing the skin below my belly button and above the seam to my underwear. Gently dipping his fingers underneath for barely a moment before going back to his gentle massaging along my thighs and hips.

I ground into him, taking advantage of his currently heavily turned on state. Actions do speak louder than words after all.

"You will not sway me on this Sookie, I am much stronger than you, and you know it. Besides, you need to rest up. I don't want to run the risk the harming you."

I whimpered, bringing my hand up to caress the side of his cheek. "But, I want to Eric.... please."

He sighed and I heard a rumble in his chest. He was holding back a growl. It only turned me on more.

"What do you want Sookie? This?" and he moved his hand back towards the seam of my underwear, tickling the skin along it.

I closed my eyes, nodding my head slowly. "More," I said.

"This?" he said, coupling his question by dipping his fingers beneath the seam, barely touching the sensitive skin he found there.

I nodded into his shoulder again, "more."

"Oh, I know," he said deviously, "you want this." And he dipped his fingers down in between my moistened folds. My back arched and I gasped at even the lightest of his touches. I was practically burning with heat, and Eric's fingers were cool and played languidly against my skin. It felt incredible.

"Ahh," he said quietly, obviously liking my reaction. "So, you want _this..." _

"This" meant a series of sensual and skillful movements involving Eric's very sensual and skillful fingers. I nodded my head lazily as I started to rock my hips into his hand.

I opened my eyes to watch as his hand worked me, disappearing underneath the fabric of my underwear. His pale alabaster skin resting against my light caramel colored flesh. The image was intoxicating.

"Sookie," Eric whisper huskily into my ear, "we have to go home tonight."

I shook my head. All I wanted to do was stay in the strange, elegant hotel room with him until the sun came up, at that moment. Everything else seemed irrelevant.

"Yes, we do Sookie," he said, answering my silent response. He then moved his hand lower, inserting too of his long fingers into me. His rhythm was becoming faster, and my hips likewise picked up the pace. Eric started to curl his fingers inside of me and I knew I wasn't going to last much longer.

My head fell back again on his shoulder. "Can't we stay a little longer?" I asked breathlessly. As much as I was enjoying the feeling of his fingers working me, I wanted him inside me. All of him.

Eric put his other hand to work with massaging my breast. As if I needed any more stimulation at that moment. The humming in the room was still there, not as loud as last time, but certainly present. Our bodies, touching and moving with each other created the electricity that seemed to spark my senses into overdrive, and Eric was currently humming in my ear. Filling my head with pleasurable noises.

Nope. Definitely didn't want to leave.

"We have to leave Sookie... You don't want me to stop do you?" He threatened and my eyes shot open.

His hand, his fingers, even his palm were working at a staggering pace, I was on the edge of release and he was threatening to stop?

"No," I said in disbelief.

He smiled immediately. "Neither do I," and with that he did this amazing finger twisting, palm pushing, final thrust kind of a thing and I screamed out in pleasure. My climax surged through me, and the humming crescendoed along with it.

The excessive force used to yell had made me notice that my chest felt healed, and that my sore muscles had become relaxed and pain free again, as I rode out the sensations rocketing through me. Eric continued his movements, at a slower, lazier pace, allowing me to come down off of my high.

I smiled as my breathing steadied, feeling utterly relaxed and content.

I looked up at Eric who's pupils were dilated in lust, and beamed at him. He returned my look of genuine happiness, and then the other shoe dropped.

"Time to go," he said.

I balked. _Wha...?_

I didn't have much time to complain, nor did I have the energy to even lift my arm and hit him, I was so spent from my orgasm. He buttoned my jeans and scooped me up off the bed. We were out the door and down the three flights of stairs within seconds, and Pam was waiting by the front entrance with the Chauffeur at her side.

"What took you so long?" Pam asked without even the slightest hint that she actually cared to know the answer.

"We were just discussing things," Eric responded, cool as a cucumber. Dammit.

"Mmmhmmm," Pam said while folded her arms. "Our plane is waiting. You explain to the pilot while we're late then."

"Will do," Eric said, beaming.

I seethed at him. I wasn't so much angry with him, as I was angry at the fact that he was right. Thanksgiving was tomorrow, people were coming for dinner. I had to cook and clean and prepare. We had a precious amount of night left and getting back to Bon Temps should be the first priority. Amazing, mind-blowing, electrified humming sex had to wait.

Whatever.

I just hated to admit that he was right.

When we got to the plane and had taken our seats, I folded my arms and looked out the window. I wasn't going to break down and throw a hissy fit, but I certainly didn't have to pretend to make polite conversation either.

Eric leaned in as the engines roared to life and with the sexiest voice I ever did hear said, "Believe me Sookie, I'll make it up to you."

I turned my head towards his cool-as-ice breath and stared into his face, wanted to assess his eyes. He moved to fast for me to see and before I knew it, he was kissing me. I'd like to say that I didn't respond but who am I kidding?

When he pulled away, he licked his lips with his eyes still closed, as if savoring the taste of a fine wine, I moaned at the sight. Eric opened his eyes at my little noise and said in that same sexy-as-hell croon, "You won't be able to walk for a week."

With that, he flashed me a dangerous and devious smile; complete with fang, and leaned back in his seat. He took my hand as the airplane took off, and into the night we flew.

My heart was beating faster than a jack rabbit on adderall as I thought back on his words.

We couldn't get home fast enough.

-------------------

A/N: This poor story has been getting no loving from me as of late. Sorry bout that.

I know Eric promised to screw her till the rosters crowed in the last chapter, but that hissed conversation he and Pam were having at the beginning of this chapter was discussing that. They needed to get home first. Play later. Eric was obviously pissed, but had to convince Sookie that going home now was best.

Believe me, he would have much rather stayed in bed with her. But, c'est le vie.

Till next time kiddies!

:-)


	30. Chapter 30: Thanksgiving Part Une

A/N: It has come to my attention that I am a huge abuser of using conjunctions at the beginning of sentences. I have recognized my problem and that my friends, is the first step to a recovery. Hopefully in the future you will see less of them. If only to appease to the lovely FDM from Sookieverse. My lack of 'ands' and 'buts' in this is in honor of you hon. And of course, my lovely and ravishing hawk-eyes, **S. Meadows**. :-) *lix*

Special shout out to LindsayK, she sat on gchat with me during the revision of this chapter. She is a doll.

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**Sookie**

The plane ride was mercifully fast. However, I can't really remember much of it since Eric gave me one of the most amazing orgasms ever - just from his hand, sweet Jesus - and I completely blacked out about five minutes after take off.

Seriously, that's just a dangerous skill to have. Eric should patent it or something. The world would be a much happier place.

_I wonder how many years it took him to perfect his technique? _

The next thing I remembered after take off was waking up long enough to realize that I was being lowered onto my bed back in Bon Temps, in the dead of night by strong and slightly glowing arms.

"Sleep well my Sookie," was all I heard from Eric's lips before he kissed me gently on the forehead. He tried to leave, but like hell I was going to let him. My arm snapped out from my side faster than I could even register and grabbed onto one of his glowing hands before he could even turn from me. I heard him chuckle at my movements, but no words were needed to tell him what I wanted. I immediately felt him crawling into bed next to me and scooping me up in his arms as if I were some precious thing to be kept safe. I snuggled back into him, reveling in the feeling.

The small contented post-climax-high smile I had on my sleepy face grew as I was enclosed by his cool firm embrace. His broad shoulder, though a little hard, was the perfect pillow, and even in the November chill he was a welcome partner in my bed. Lordy, he was the only welcome partner in my bed. I'll admit it, I'd become spoiled, and I wanted to stay that way.

I didn't know how much night there was left but later on, somewhere in the deep of my subconscious I became aware of being moved and blankets being wrapped more soundly around me. I snuggled down into my warm pillows, hugging one to my chest, a dull ache still present where the sting once was, even after Eric's affections back in New Orleans and tonight in my bed.

I knew he had only gone to his little hidey hole so my subconscious self didn't bother to worry, even though the dull pain in my chest became apparent again the second he left my side. Outweighing the pain though was a wholeness that I was happy to have back again. I was in my home, in my bed, and my man - Viking, vampire, lover, whatever - was sleeping just across the hall. The people I loved were safe and tomorrow - well later on that today - was the start of the holiday season.

I wasn't even remotely hesitant in thinking that I was happy, and damn proud of it too.

-------

I awoke with a start at 6am. Seriously, 6 A.M.? What gives with that? I had been stabbed the night before and given a mind blowing orgasm just after. Surely my body must be spent, why the hell was I waking up so early?

My paranoia then returned to me with full force. What if last night had been a dream? A very wonderful but extremely evil dream, because it made me think for the span of my R.E.M. cycle that I was content and safe and happy? And that Eric....

_Eric!_

I jumped out of bed as fast as my tired legs would allow, which surprisingly was rather immediate. I was obviously still reaping the benefits of Eric's blood coursing through my system. I ran to my door and screeched to a halt long enough to throw it open before I just full on ran through it like bugs bunny making his way to Albuquerque, and shot across the hall to my old room.

The closet that lead to the hidey hole was open when I got to it, and the smattering of things that normally lined the bottom were now peppered around the outside of the door. I breathed a huge sigh of relief all for about a second before the beginnings of another full on panic attack threatened to overtake me.

_I have to see him,_ I thought.

Just a peak. Just to make sure.

I crept forward and opened the latch in the bottom of the closet. It creaked as I opened it. I cringed away from the noise, but immediately felt like an idiot the second I did, because a creaking door was not going to wake a vampire during their daylight comatose state. It would take a helluva lot more noise than that. I allowed myself to be melodramatic for a second by hitting the butt of my palm to my forehead before continuing. The second I had regained some semblance of sanity I poked my head down into the trap door, searching in the darkness for my vampire.

Sure enough, no more than 2 feet away from the opening of the latch door was Eric's sleeping form, lying luxuriously on top of some of Gran's old quilts. There was even a down pillow under his head. I smiled at the sight.

Then I did a somewhat idiotic but very Sookie-esque thing. I squealed like a school girl would squee at seeing her favorite teen idol on a magazine cover, jumped into the hidey hole and landed on top of Eric's sleeping and very catatonic form.

A small "uff" left his mouth as I landed. I assumed I pushed out whatever unneeded air was in his lungs from my leap but, I didn't care. _Last night wasn't a dream._ Sweet Jesus, Lord above thank you!

I clung onto his sleeping limp body for all that I was worth, embracing him with all my love and smiling like a damped fool in the semi-darkness. The only light source was coming from Eric's slightly glowing electrified skin.

What I didn't expect was for him to mumble to me. That was wee bit of a shock.

"Seewwwk...." he said in his death-like state and I stopped my squeezing and stared unabashedly at where his mouth would be in all the darkness. He was trying to say my name! It was six in the morning and Eric was actually attempting to form words. God, I loved him that much more just for that sad, half-assed attempt at my name!

I giggled atop of him and crawled up a bit to kiss his mouth. He surprised me again by puckering his lips just enough to kiss me back with the slightest of touches. I smiled into his lips and was just about to snuggle into his side when one more extremely surprising thing greeted me from the very much _almost_ asleep Eric.

The gracious plenty was saluting.

Eric Northman, Viking vampire, dead asleep at the crack of day was sporting wood and attempting to kiss me even though all the physical, biological and whatever magical elements that keep vampires living pointed to their hands at this being impossible. He should be sleeping. Plain fact.

But he wasn't.

"Seewwkkee" he mumbled again and I giggled once more while snuggling on top of him. This was apparently a mistake though, because the G.P. down in his pants went from half mast to full blow at sea status from my slight movements. It was official, Eric was insatiable, no matter what time of day or night.

Even though I was finding this little display of arousal at my mere presence cute and slightly hilarious; sleeping with someone while they were actually sleeping was just not my bag. I giggled a little more at that considering Eric had said the same thing to me just the night before.

I wanted to linger, but I didn't want to disturb his sleep anymore than I'd already did. So, I kissed him one last time, and gave his hand a squeeze. It was no longer surprising to me when he squeezed it back gently. I looked down at him with reverence. Even in his catatonic state Eric could give me reassurance and love. I had certainly lucked out now didn't I?

However, it did not go unnoticed that the second I left his calming presence that the slight ache started to throb again in my chest. It was no longer as painful as last night, but it was still there, dull and present throughout the morning as I shuffled around, making a shopping list of last minute items we needed for dinner tonight and preparing my morning coffee.

"Sookie!" Amelia exclaimed from the back stairwell that led into my Gran's kitchen. I smiled at her from my perch on the counter.

"I can't believe it, you're up before me! When I smelt the coffee wafting up from downstairs, I just assumed we had a robber in the house with a caffeine addiction."

I chuckled at her little joke and jumped down off the counter to give her a Hey-roomie-I-haven't-seen-you-in-a-few-days-thanks-for-making-me-laugh hug. She was clearly shocked by my chipper and affectionate mood though, but I didn't blame her; I knew I had been a little distant in the past months. I could see now that without Eric, I had regressed back into myself, not connecting with anyone. It was as if my body knew I'd only feel complete the second we had reconciled. I kind of hated my body for that, but I couldn't help but smile now. I was happy and I'd never get sick of thinking it.

"When'd you get back girl?" Amelia asked.

"Last night. We flew up from New Orleans as soon as we could. Pam and Eric had to get back before dawn of course," I said with a little roll of my eyes.

"I see," she said nodding her head. I didn't need to be a telepath to know that she was holding back about ten-bazillion questions she knew I didn't want to answer. I silently thanked her for that.

"Well, wow. I wasn't expecting you for Thanksgiving!" She was looking down and scratching the back of her neck as she spoke. I tried to stay out of her head but it was pointless. Amelia was the epitome of a loud broadcaster.

I couldn't help the booming laugh that left my throat the second I had heard what she was trying not to tell me. She looked at me with a wary gaze.

"You're worried I'm going to be upset that you invited over a lot of people for Thanksgiving!?" I said in between fits. Amelia still looked awkward and uncertain. It only brought on another wave of giggles. I think I was more delirious from the past days events then actually cracking up at Amelia's thoughts, but never the less, a good laugh never hurt anyone.

I calmed down just enough to straighten myself and put my coffee mug down before I dropped it.

"Amelia, please don't worry. I'd be happy to have a lot of people here! I was actually just making a list of things we might need extra or more of. I was gonna head to the store right after finishing my cup of coffee."

"Oh! You don't have to worry about that. Tray and I went nuts with prep. Most of the food is all back at his house in his industrial sized fridge."

"You serious?" I was totally amused at the thought of Tray and Amelia being so domestic. "Was it gonna be a surprise Thanksgiving?" I asked.

"No, just... we didn't want you to worry. Well, we didn't even know if you'd be here, but with Sam being sick, and Eric... well, being Eric, we just wanted to take care of the dinner. Besides, Tray has decided that it's his life's mission to become a TV chef like that Guy Fiori person on the Food Network." Amelia finished her little speech with an eye roll at her boyfriend's endearing hobbies.

I stared back at her in disbelief. "Who are you and what have you done with my roommate Amelia Broadway?"

"Shove it girl," she snapped as she smacked my arm before grinning and turning to put the kettle on the stove.

"So, what is there for me to do? I have to do something."

"Well, Tray's taking care of the oyster stuffing and the turkey. I'm gonna make a huge ol' pot of gumbo. Sam's bring turtle soup for some ungodly reason, though he is also bringing the alcoh..."

"Sam's coming!?"

"Yes, of course. So's Holly and her little boy, and Hoyt and his mama, Tara and J.B. and..."

I cut her off again. "Amelia, is the entire town coming to Thanksgiving at my house?"

She looked down slightly before answering with a small smile. "No, not the _entire _town."

"How are they all gonna fit at the table?"

"Haven't you looked out back?" She asked slightly baffled.

"No Amelia, my first thoughts this morning consisted of Eric and coffee," I told her in a very Pam like tone. I even put my hands on my hips to emphasis my sass.

"Okay, ew to the crack of dawn Viking fantasies... but I can understand your need for caffeine." She paused for a minute before chuckling and saying, "Sookie, just go look out back."

I really didn't want to leave my post next to the heavenly coffee maker, where I could not only enjoy my first cup of what promised to be many, but I could also smell the fresh wonderful liquid caffeine slowly dripping into the next pot; but I did. I hoisted myself off my little perch on the counter and shuffled my slipper clad feet to the back porch. The second I stepped out onto it, I gasped.

There were two huge white tents set up in the spacious yard. They sat, end to end with only one side pulled up like curtains at a theater. Their openings matched each other, and I could see that in one sat a long dining table, where the other was simply a shiny floor with speakers set up all around it. Realization hit a second later, it was a dance floor. Heat lamps dotted the property along with extra chez lounges and chairs set up in little groups. There was even a fire pit off to the side. _I guess that's for roasting marshmallows,_ I jokingly thought.

All in all, my backyard looked like it was set up for the best party Bon Temps had ever seen.

"Amelia," I called over my shoulder, wanting to tell her how amazing I thought everything looked. I didn't even see the lines of Christmas lights crisscrossed above the tents and hanging from every tree until she came up behind me and said, "wait till you see this."

She either flipped the switch or flicked her wrists, something, but whatever it was that she did it worked. All the lights twinkled to life, and even in the dull light of the early morning, with a light layer of fog covering the grounds they glowed warm and cheerful. I beamed at the sight.

"This is amazing! Who did it?"

"Tray and Terry mostly. He's coming too by the way," she said. Counting off another person on the guest list. "My job was to dictated where each strand and every of lights were to go. It was a very difficult task to perfect."

"I bet," I said with a small laugh.

"Well shit girl, what am I supposed to do now? I had planned a whole day of getting the turkey in the oven and making baked goods and fixings for the dinner," I said throwing my hands up in the air.

"Oh well, we do need a couple sweet potato pies. Hoyt's mama's gonna bring one, but frankly, I've had her pies before, they taste like sawdust."

"Then I'll just have to make my own now won't I?"

Amelia smiled back at me and we both walked inside, turning our backs on the wonderland in front of us, to go gather up the ingredients from the pantry. I outwardly beamed when I noticed that Eric's pie-safe had actually been delivered in the past few overwhelming days. I had no idea where he found the time, but there it was, standing where Gran's used to sit, right in the alcove between the kitchen and the hall leading out to the rest of the house. I wondered for a minute how he knew...

My idle wondering was cut short when Amelia called me from the kitchen. I popped my head out of the pantry to hear what she had to say.

"If you're looking for the brown sugar its out here." She was holding the bag in her hand.

"Amelia, what exactly were you doing with the brown sugar?"

Suddenly her brain was shut off from me, but not before I got a flash of an image. It involved Tray and baking and my brand new kitchen table. My jaw hit the floor.

"You better have cleaned up," was all I said on the subject.

The morning carried on without any interruptions, or explosions, or random supes showing up at my door, or fires, or witch paraphernalia falling from the top shelves of the cabinets... nothing untoward. Just me, Amelia and the pies. Which after coming out of the oven were promptly stored in the pie safe for safe pie keeping, thank you very much.

By one in the afternoon there was nothing else to do, and my tired aching body was begging for some more rest. I told Amelia just that and trudged off to my room to hopefully sleep until the guests arrived at 7. I could wake up around 6 and have plenty of time to get ready before folks started walking through the door at the fashionable late time of 10 minutes past.

Thanksgiving was normally an afternoon affair in my house, and always rather small. The few amount of guests we'd invite would arrive around three and we'd eat around four, but Amelia had said that since both Pam and Eric were assumed to be key priorities on my guests list, they pushed the whole thing back till after nightfall to accommodate their vampiric needs, on the slight chance that I'd even make it to dinner. (My next door neighbor and ancient-freakin-history Bill was thankfully out of town.) I again, was boggled. Amelia, my sweet and witchy roommate, with no brain filter and less tact than a hyena, had planned it all. With only minimal help from Octavia - the seating chart - and Tray - manual labor and lugger of the heavy food and drink aka turkey and kegs.

Once in my room, I drew the curtains, kicked off my slippers, dropped my casual jeans and climbed into my bed happier than a kitty cat in a canary cage. I feel asleep almost the second my head hit the pillow. I didn't even have time to attempt to make a silly Eric cuddle bundle with my blankets and sheets.

----------

I awoke for the second time that day to the sound of water running in my bathroom and the feeling of gentle relaxing circles being rubbed into my hip and upper thigh. A large cool body was pressed into my back and when I stirred slightly it hummed contentedly into my hair at the base of my neck. The vibrations sent shivers down my spine.

"Good morning," was all he said, his nose still nuzzling into my hair.

"It's not morning Eric," was my genius response. Seriously, I needed more sleep.

"Yes, but it was earlier. Don't think I can't comprehend or feel things when I'm sleeping. If I'm not mistaken, I believe you were rubbing yourself all over me this morning."

"I was not!"

He laughed softly into my ear before nibbling slightly on the lobe. My stomach immediately started to feel tight and I tried very hard to stifle a moan.

"Regardless, it was slightly torturous sleeping all that time with a rather large strain in my pants. Not to mention I could smell you all over me, even after you'd gone." His hand moved to press my pelvis further into the curve of his body. _Hello!_ The gracious plenty was still most definitely saluting. Poor thing.

"Why do I hear water?"

"I'm drawing you a bath. Come, let's go soak a while and relax," he said before scooping me up in one smooth movement. He didn't even bother to climb off the bed, we simply floated over to the bathroom. I only noticed then that I was completely nude.

"Eric..." I began to ask but he cut me off.

"I didn't want the water to turn cold. I thought I'd take care of a step, so we wouldn't waste anytime." He smiled down at me and I noticed his fangs were halfway draw out. My hips practically bucked at the sight. Stupid traitor body. Then again, I had been promised some serious mind blowing, brain addling, symphonic humming lovin' back in New Orleans. My body was probably just trying to remind Eric of the debt he owed to it. Yeah, that was probably it.

"So, what do you think?" he asked with a fangy smile that made me both melt into his arms and become nervous at the same time.

"About what?"

He didn't respond he just nodded his head towards my tub. Or, correction, what used to be my tub. Sweet Jesus! There was a swimming pool in my bathroom!

"Eric!"

What was once my small Victorian free standing ol' bathtub was now a newer, larger, broader and deeper model. With a slightly raised back on one side and elegant claw-foot legs that stood out from the glazed smooth curve of the tub base with a buffed silver finish. The result being feminine yet masculine. Eric obviously put some time into its choosing. What he didn't think of was the size of my bathroom in comparison too it. The poor thing looked entirely dwarfed.

Eric apparently felt my reservations about that and said, "It will fit perfectly in your new bathroom. I know it's a little tight in here."

I managed to chock on nothing but air. "Wh-What?!"

"I had the plans drawn up before I left for an addition to the back of your house. This room, along with your old closet will be gutted for an entirely new walk-in closet. "

"And the bathroom goes...?"

"That's the addition," he said with a smile while leaning in to kiss me on the forehead. He was killing me with kindness here. I saw right through it.

"Eric, why are you suddenly remodeling just my bedroom and bathroom?"

"Well... if I'm going to be spending more and more time here, we're going to need a bathroom and a closet that accommodates both our needs."

"We!?" I felt my eyes un-focus as a small debate whirled around my head. The small child like part in me rebelled at the pronoun, but the more prominent part of me that had finally accepted Eric's love and wanted nothing more than to love him right back with just as much affection, won out on the little internal argument in my head. I kicked the child inside of me away. We were a "we." I just apparently needed a new sinful looking bathtub to solidify the idea in my brain.

"Sookie?" Eric asked tentatively. I just smiled back at him like a schoolgirl would smile at her favorite crush. His brow furrowed even further.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Don't be so dense Eric. I love the bathtub! Thank you. Now come on, get me in there before all that hot water runs cold."

Eric didn't move though, he simply stood with me in his arms and his eyes closed. A small grin tugging at his lips.

"Sookie Stackhouse said thank you to me for something I did... I think I need a moment."

I leaned in and bit his neck playfully before dragging my tongue over the sensitive skin.

"Moment taken," he said, and then gracefully stepped into the now full and deliciously warm tub. As we sat, he pulled some small brown bottles from my free standing bookshelf against the wall that acted as storage for my bathroom. I had never seen them before.

"What are those?" I asked.

He started adding droplets of each to the water. "Aromatics. It'll sooth you."

I snuggled back into his chest with a small nod, already feeling completely soothed. The water was hot but not unbearable, and paired with Eric's cool body behind me, only slightly warming from the heat in the water, everything felt just right. Even that dull ache that had been in my chest throughout the day; I noticed the minute Eric and I were back within each other's reach, it had gone away. That perked my interests though...

"Eric, what did your sword actually do to me?"

He stiffened behind me slightly, but relaxed a millisecond later and embraced me tighter. "What do you mean, Victor pierced your heart with it and Niall healed the wound. There's nothing more to tell."

"Well, there must be. A dull ache is constant in my chest when you're gone."

"Aww Sookie, you miss me that much?" The sarcasm did not escape me. I elbowed him in the rib. He flinched at the jab and the water swished around us.

"No, I mean, well, for instance... Last night when we, you know, on the bed the ache almost completely subsided. Prior to that it was stinging like a mother. I swear."

I looked back to see Eric in a pensive almost "down-time" like state. His erection pressing into my back even subsided a little. I was boggled.

"But, Sookie, I gave you blood. Of course you felt healed." He was shaking his head at me not quiet getting it. I think I knew what we needed though, and it wasn't vampire blood.

"I know that Eric - thank you by the way - but it was after our little quickie that I felt complete again. Not broken." I turned slightly in the water to get a better look at his face, I wanted his full attention, "Eric, I think we need to have sex to fix this."

Booming laughter filled the bathroom, echoing off each tile on each wall as it ricochetted throughout the small space. It was a glorious sound but at the same time a condescending one. I was dead serious. I glared at him from my spot in between his legs. Seriously, this was the second day in a row he was not jumping at the chance of jumping my bones. I didn't get it.

"Eric," I threatened, "just listen to my theory, okay?"

He nodded still grinning like a fool and I continued. "Okay, when I got stabbed with your sword," Eric immediately tensed and hissed at the memory. It momentarily shocked me at how much even mentioning it had hurt him, I slouched against him again and placed my hand in his hair to comfort him as I went on. "Well, I think because it was your sword and because it's been with you so long; it's loyal to you as my great grandfather would say, I think by piercing me in the heart with it, it unintentionally severed part of our bond." Eric stiffened even more behind me and his nostrils flared. He didn't like hearing my theory one bit. I didn't want to cause him stress, but I wasn't finished just yet. "Eric, my chest has been stinging ever since last night, when we "connected" again, and of course when we shared blood, the pain dulled, but even today it was there, like a white noise in the background. I could still feel it, and I knew that you felt it too on the bed back in the hotel. I saw it in your eyes."

Eric nodded. Whether he was agreeing with me or telling me to continue, I didn't really catch on. I think it was a bit of both.

"Eric, I don't know why you'd be opposed to this. I'm telling you to _have sex_ with me."

I could see a horde of emotions raining behind Eric's eyes. He was starting at me, but not really with me, past me, as if he were literally looking backwards on time. I didn't know what he was thinking and anything that I could even attempt to detect mentally was jumbled and flying by like rapid fire across his brain waves.

I knew Eric's practicality sometimes got in the way of his emotions, but I never knew it to get in the way of sex. That was just astonishing to me. Still, I had an inkling that my theory was correct and I was petrified to ever feel that ache burn inside of me again. I had tasted a little sip of the pain I would experience if I were to loose Eric. I now knew better, I didn't want a repeat of my previous child like uncertainties. They now seemed like ancient history, I wanted to keep them in the past and move forward.

Mostly, I just wanted to solidify our connection again.

I slowly turned in the water, while Eric conducted some kind of internal battle with his own mind behind his eyes, and I scooted up onto my knees in front of him. His eyes momentarily focused on mine, but quickly flickered back to what he was pondering.

_I'll fix that_, I thought.

I leaned forward to run my tongue along his jaw, nibbling every so often before dipping beneath his ear and kissing the cool skin of his neck. I took my time, while simultaneously pressing my body flushed against his, wanting him to feel me, and I him.

One of Eric's arms came and circled my waist, holding me to him. I smiled into his neck.

Next I moved down towards his collar bones, paying extra attention to the tense muscles of his shoulders. I wondered idly if they ever relaxed, while my hands scrapped gently along his chest, sparking electricity in the air as our skin felt like it was coming alive from the contact.

His hips started to sway slightly in the water and my grin widened. I was making progress and so was Eric's erection I noted.

I pulled back to focus on his face, trying to see if he was now paying attention. I lifted my eyes to his and they locked. Eric was most certainly back to business. I took it as my cue and bent closer.

As I moved in to kiss him, I stood up further onto my knees, willing my hips forward. Eric's strong hangs grabbed hold of me, one hand on each hip and helped to lift me so I could come to rest, straddling his lap. The water sloshed around us and our legs moving along the sides of the tub squeaked from the friction, but we quickly became comfortable once again and I wasted no time on sliding myself onto his now fully erect length.

Of course, in two days, like the idiot I am, I had managed to forget how fan-freakin-tastic he felt inside of me and my head flew back at the sensation as a gasp left my lips. Eric laughed huskily in front of me, pulling me closer to kiss my mouth again. He was obviously proud of himself.

For the next however many minutes or hours, who knows, we barely moved from our spots. Well, we moved of course, but in slow languid rhythms, taking time to feel each other completely. With each thrust we wrapped our arms around each other's torsos that much tighter. We just couldn't get close enough, it was almost desperate; for me at least. I was desperate for the connection.

I felt that if I could recreate the supreme intimacy of our last physical bonding we could somehow repair what I thought had been broken.

As we both slowly built to a release, I felt the ache in my chest releasing as well. The pain was dulling with each swivel of my hips on Eric's, and as the intensity grew with the electricity around us in the bathroom, the light stinging in my chest fell away. All leading to the symphonic climax of a resounding base note and tingling nerve endings sparking throughout each extremity.

I had locked eyes with Eric right before my climax tore through my body and afterwards, we fell apart in each other's arms; loosing the connection of our eyes, but never once letting go of each other. It felt as if gravity itself were slipping away, but then I opened my eyes and it actually had. Eric's back was arching with his own climax and as he came, filling me even more, we lifted up out of the water a few inches.

We fell back down with a final splash into the now temped water and Eric laughed lazily as if he were drunk or drugged. Either way, he sounded extremely happy.

He encircled me with his arms and I buried my head into the crook of his neck in between his jaw and shoulder. The outside of me was too spent to move but on the inside I was doing a literal Irish jig of joy. The pain had completely left. Everything about me felt right and perfect and whole. I sighed in Eric's arms.

"We should probably make an appearance at the party out back," Eric said. Speaking softly into my slightly damp hair.

I nodded into his chest and did a mental count of how many people were actually around the house right then. After a minute or so I guessed about 20.

"Umm, Eric?"

"Hmm?"

"About 20 probably heard us having mind blowing sex just now." I told him with a slight chuckle.

"And I care because?"

"No reason, just thought you'd like to know."

"Thank you Sookie," he said sounding utterly proud of himself.

We got out of the tub and dried each other off with large fluffy towels that had also been replaced by Eric's seemingly magic delivery service. Eric then wrapped an equally impressive terry-cloth robe around me. It was light blue.

I noticed a second one hanging on the back of the door and quickly threw it over his shoulders, once he had tied a bow with the robe's belt around my waist. We kept on looking at each like stoned teenagers. I guess great sex will do that to you.

Great sex could also work up quite an appetite it seemed. My stomach growled not a second after I stepped out of the bathroom. The smells of cinnamon and nutmeg swirled around the house, while cedar and birch pit fires burned out back. The combination of the smells signifying one thing. Thanksgiving.

Thank God, I was starving.

-------------

A/N: "Thanksgiving" chappie is going to be split into two parts. FYI. I had to stop, this bitch was getting LONG!

I have a request for all of my lovely readers. I realize that most of you by now have read Dead and Gone. **I haven't. **So, please, no spoilers in your reviews... I, of course LOVE each and every single review you throw at me. I read and collect them all, like a freakin' squirrel gathering acorns for winter, but lets just keep the DaG discussion separate.

I swear to you, one day I will actually read the book and all will be well and good, but until that day... Zip the mun. K?

As for this chappie.... I know, I know, a freakin month it took me to get it posted. I fail utterly in updating this poor fiction, but it does still hold a place in my heart.

I do believe the next chapter is it. The End. Fin.

There will be both Eric and Sookie POV's and it will also be conclusion to "Thanksgiving Part 1", of course. Duh.

I'm going to try and plan a not too cliché epilogue for y'all, but that will come later. As for next chapter, I don't have an ETA for you, but most of it is written, so it certainly won't take a month to post. Please forgive me. *sigh* I'm letting go of my first fiction baby. This is an emotional time. *sniff*

Damn, this a/n is about as epic as the damn chapter. gah! Ciao!


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